Final Fantasy X: Our Story
by AndSheWasBeautiful
Summary: Told through the eyes of not famous-star-player-of-the-Zanarkand-Abes. But Tidus. Secrets will be uncovered, his hatred for his father renewed, and the love for another will blossom. Listen to his story. This may be our last chance.
1. City of Lights

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Now, as you might've guessed, this is going to be my take on Final Fantasy X. I'm not adding new characters or anything, just going by the story, with the exception of a few extra scenes, depicting things that aren't really of importance, but will develop the character's realationships with each other. Hee hee. So, yeah, the next chapters are much longer, but this is short for the prologue, giving you guys a taste. Now, over with this obscenly long A/N. R&R, please!

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**City of Lights.**

_**Tidus**_

The City of Lights. That's what we called it. The floodlights from the stadium, the many neon signs in store windows, the constant glow of bulbs everywhere, even in the day time- we were the City of Lights. The City that never Slept. We were the party animals, party now, ask questions later- you know, that kind of thing. Every day and night, morning and evening was constant life of luxury for every one of us. We only had eyes for this place, our haven which we all adored. Zanarkand.

And aside from that, most of the people in Zanarkand only had eyes for the game. Blitz. Oh, yeah. And I just so happened to be the youngest Captain that the Zanarkand Abes had ever had. I'm not gonna lie. I was their star player. Every other team we played envied me. But that wasn't just because of how good I was. Huh. My dad made sure of that.

But never mind that right now- I'm getting ahead of myself. You have to listen to my story. This… may be our last chance.

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"TIDUS!"

I'm not exaggerating. This blonde girl almost throttled me. All the air flew out of my lungs when she rammed her body into mine, and knotted her hands in my locks of platinum blonde hair. I almost passed out. Her friend, brunette, giggled and thrust a Blitzball under my nose, a midnight blue pen in her other hand.

"Sign it, please?!" she begged, her brown eyes wide and pleading. I pried the blonde off of me and smiled my famous dashing smile. She went visibly weak at the knees. I resisted the urge to snicker. I then scrawled an autograph across the ball, and handed it back to the girl.

"What seats?" I asked, keeping up my pretty boy façade. The blonde's eyes sparkled.

"East block, first row!" she squeaked. I did smirk then.

"If I score a goal, I'll do this-" I threw my hands up in the air and did a thumbs up, grinning all the while- "that'll mean it was for you, okay?"

The two nodded and giggled, scuttling off, gossiping every second. I shook my head, and turned to another person, a little kid, also wanting an autograph. His mother was standing with him, smiling at me in that motherly way that made me instantly sad. My mother never smiled at me like that.

"Will ya teach me Blitz, Tidus?!" the little boy asked, taking the ball back and twirling it around in his hands. I smiled at him. His mother bopped him on the head.

"Kanna! Call him sir!" she hissed. I laughed, shaking her hand.

"It's okay. He can call me Tidus. But thanks for asking- no one else ever does," I smiled, and his mother's face melted and she fumbled for words, that seemed just an inch out of her reach.

"Thank- you. Come on, Kanna," she pulled her son along, and I laughed and waved as he threw the Blitzball back and forth with her as they walked away.

I heard the commentator's voice ring out on the overhead, so I headed towards the sphere pool, adrenalin suddenly pumping through my veins, like it always does just before I go into a game.

"_You know this is the Jecht Memorial Cup, folks? Well, we're all fond of nineteen year old Tidus Inida, Captain of our precious Zanarkand Abes, but of course, his father mustn't be forgotten. It's ten years ago today that Jecht Inida disappeared. I remember that day all too well. News came to us all, that he'd went out to sea, training, and hadn't come back. Probably attacked by one of those sea dwelling monsters, ain't that right, folks? Well, my father and me went out onto the porch and just reminisced about that fantastic Blitzer. Don't think me and my old man ever talked so much- But hey! Enough sad talk! Let's hope Tidus can bring the cup home for us! What's your status, Renko?" _

I very nearly screamed to high heaven. Why did everything always have to be about my father! All he ever did was tell me what a failure I was, how I'd never succeed in life, how I'd have to live with them until I died. After he disappeared, he, in effect, destroyed mom. She never loved me half as much as she loved him. She died not long after, and I remember thinking, I'm gonna prove that excuse for a father wrong. And I went outside, and practiced the game until it hurt. Look were I am, ten years later.

I went straight from the street to the entrance of the sphere pool- going into the locker rooms just made me nervous. My team mates were all standing, waiting, shaking last minute jitters out of their system.

I heard them calling my name.

Without thinking, I walked out, and saw the screaming fans, the camera flashes, the noise, cheering, banners, and the sphere pool. I grinned and leapt in, feeling the water make me soaking, my clothes sticking to me, and I swam up to shake hands with the other captain. She squeezed my hand a little to tight for my liking, so I smirked, and winked and watched as her smug look was wiped from her face.

And then the game started.

I can never fully remember what happens during a game. Alls I know is, it ain't a sissy sport. I got rammed about six times, and when the captain of the other team punched Pharfalaa, my star defender, I had no choice but to send her hurtling out of the sphere pool.

Catching the Blitzball, I smacked it with my boot, and sent it hurtling into the opposing teams goals. A resounding cheer echoed throughout the stadium, and I did my thumbs up sign for the girls I'd promised. Grinning, I carried on, hunting for the ball. Time for a big finish. My father's famous shot, that I'd been practicing all this time.

Catching the ball, I threw it up and out of the pool, leaping up myself. I heard the fans gasp, and a million breaths caught. I smiled. Now would be my moment to shine.

As I turned and came down, about to slam the ball, I saw something coming.

A light, so bright, it blinded even the City of Lights. Zanarkand was being attacked. And by what I had no idea.

The force of whatever the hell it was smacked me, and I fell from my height, tumbling to the ground. I screamed louder than I ever had in my entire life. I managed to grab onto one of the stone dragons that embossed the front of the stadium, but under some invisible pressure, they crumbled, like sand between my fingers.

And as I fell to the ground, as Auron waited at the bottom of my fall- I think that's when my life changed forever.

For better or worse?

You'll just have to wait and see.

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**Please review! x**


	2. We Called It Sin

**Al Bhed is translated at the very bottom. Thanks for reading. Review, please! x

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**We Called It Sin.**

_**Tidus**_

I remember thinking that I couldn't believe I wasn't dead. I should have hit my head- but I didn't, or broken a limb, or punctured a vital organ. Nope. I was fit as a fiddle after my fall, and as I clambered up, I noticed someone amongst the mad dash to try and evacuate the stadium.

"Auron!" I yelped, scrambling towards him, tripping over my own feet a lot. He remained still as a statue, looking around, his sword slung over his back. I gaped.

When mom died, Auron became my new official guardian, and I'd lived with him. He was dad's best friend. He didn't really know how to deal with kids, and he mostly let me do my own thing. But I think I turned out okay. Anyways, he always had this huge grey sword, engraved with all this swirling pattern, and I was never along to touch it. EVER. He turned and glanced at me.

Auron's always been an impressive figure, with that big gash scar across his right eye, his dark hair, greying at the roots, strong jaw and that red outfit he always wore.

He pulled me along by the scruff of the neck.

"Tidus, stand up. Come on."

I followed him, silently, taking in the chaos around us. I had no idea where he was taking me, but I went with him all same. Suddenly, he stuck his arm out in front of me, stopping me dead in my tracks. I looked round at him.

"What's the big idea, Auron?! What the hell is going on?!" I yelled. His mouth quirked into a smile at one side, and he raised his good arm towards the sky. I followed his gaze, and stumbled back, my breath stopping.

"W-Wha--?" I was lost for words, and just gaped.

"We called it Sin," he told me, voice calm as ever. I shot a terrified glance at him. He rolled his eyes.

There was some sort of gigantic beast in the sky, like a genetically enhanced mutant squid or something, that had a huge tentacle that was shooting little pods at us, like a squid would squirt ink. Auron swore. I glanced at him.

"Sin Spawn. Here," he handed me a huge red sword, made entirely of lava crystal, too rare. The handle was wrought iron, golden insets. I gasped. Auron smirked.

"A gift from Jecht," he told me. I looked from the sword, to him, to the 'Sin Spawn'.

"My old man?!" I shot at him. He nodded and readied himself for battle, pulling his sword off his back, and releasing his weaker arm, that he told me had once had a spell cast on it by some evil chick or something.

Time seemed to slow as I took my surroundings in. I groaned, as a little kid appeared, and stood, watching me. All seemed to have become silent.

"It begins."

I frowned, and glanced around. Nothing was moving. It was still.

"What?"

The kid smiled at me, sadly, apologetically. It seemed like a telepathic message was sent straight to my head, like he was apologising for everything he was going to put me through.

"Don't cry."

"These ones don't matter! Cut through, and follow me!" Auron yelled, as the pods that 'Sin' had thrown upon us burst, and tiny mutant squid creatures appeared. I yelped, and tried to swing my sword, failing to. Auron laughed faintly. The encounter with the child- he hadn't even seemed to have noticed.

"Steady yourself, Tidus," he told me, the blade of his sword connecting with the side of one of the spawn. I tried then, and it freaking worked! I marvelled at myself, and carried on swiping at the spawn, until out path was clear. I followed Auron, running as fast as I could to keep up.

A tentacle blocked our way then, and I backed away, as Auron's face became stonier than usual. He glanced around, and saw a discarded machine from one of the buildings that had been destroyed.

"Destroy that! I'll take care of this!" he called to me. I swiped at the machine, making it shudder violently. I glanced around. We were on the highway! The road that was built from building to building, 5,000 feet from the ground.

"Auron!" I yelled.

He growled and brought his sword slamming down on the machine.

"Just do it!" he replied. I whacked it again, and this time it fell, pulling the stone of the highway with it. It began to crumble, and 'Sin' fell along with the rubble. And along with me. I clutched to the side, and Auron watched me, getting ready to pull me up. He wasn't going quick enough.

"Auron!" I screamed. He lifted me then, by the front of my shirt and I squirmed in his grasp. Something was going terribly wrong. The Sin creature had seemed to tear the sky apart, like it was paper or something. Auron surveyed me over those dark tinted glasses of his. I tried to get free of his grip so I could run. Just run!

"Your story begins here."

I wanted to shout at him, tell him to stop talking about stories! I felt like I was being eaten alive by whatever this thing was. Light blinded me.

And… that's the last I can remember of Zanarkand.

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I woke up underwater. Not Zanarkand's crystal clear rippling waves- no. The water was murky and dirty, and I was desperate to get out of it. This wasn't Zanarkand ocean. It was never like this! Rubble and discarded bricks and mosaic scattering the floor of the ocean. But then again, maybe this was what was left after that Sin creature attacked my home. I swore inwardly, and kicked my legs hard to get to the surface. My head broke the water, and my hair clung to my neck. I looked around.

This sure as hell was _not_ Zanarkand.

I swam towards what looked like the beginnings of some sort of broken down temple. It was… beautiful. And it seemed that the ancient setting against the bleeding sun's backdrop made it even more still- but it wasn't Zanarkand.

_Where the hell am I?!_

I made my way through the tunnels and caverns in the temple, each becoming more and more worn and disgraceful as I went. Eventually, I came to a huge circular room, statues of lost gods placed around it. I gasped as the cold hit my already wet body.

I glanced around for some sort of flint, and after finding it, went to the centre of the room where I snapped the flint against each other, making flames catch the discarded grass and twigs that were already strategically positioned there.

I warmed my hands against the tongues of fire, and let out a sigh of relief. Then, my stomach rumbled, and it was only then that I remembered how hungry I was. It groaned again. I sighed, and moved in closer to the fire.

My stomach rumbled again.

"Yeah, okay, I get it!" I shouted. I grimaced. I was talking to my stomach. I seriously needed food. Another groan. Uh oh. This time, I was pretty sure my stomach wasn't making ripping growling noises… I glanced up behind me, and immediately leapt for my sword.

There was some sort of huge monster, clinging to the side of the wall with huge talons, it's legs and arms made out of sharp clicking instruments, oozing pincers protruding from it's (what appeared to be) mouth.

"Gimme a break!" I yelled at it. The thing jumped from the wall, and landed in front of me, snapping it's pincers and making to jab at me with it's knife like arms. I dodged, but only just. Thank the Gods for Blitz. I continued to dodge it's attacks, hoping it would tire, and I could hit one clean swipe with my sword. One clean swipe should be enough… But the creature didn't relent, and I was getting fatigued. I was about to give up and just sprint for it, when a huge banging noise interrupted our deadly dance.

I turned to stare at the gigantic doors set in the stone wall, that I hadn't noticed before. It had been blown apart, by some force that blasted apart all the rock and stone that had tumbled to block the entrance. I gaped, as 5 people, men, leapt in, brandishing guns at me and the monster.

They were wearing weird looking clothing, green and yellow colours, and most had either thick glass goggles on concealing their eyes, or huge yellow gas masks. They didn't move the guns.

That was the first time I ever saw her. She stood out from the crowd of strangely dressed men. She was a dainty, petite little figure with a skin-tight red, green, and cream suit on, iron plates hammered into place over her chest, elbows and knees. Her goggles weren't covering her eyes, but it was so dark I didn't have time to notice them. The other thing that made her stand out was that the men seemed to be following her. She seemed so much smaller than them, and yet they stood poised to fire, seemingly dependent on her verdict. She was silent, as she leapt forward, and positioned herself for battle, and I watched that as her hands curled into fists, little metal blades became apparent on them.

"Cool! You're on my side!" I yelled, but she didn't seem to notice, or indeed care. She looked focused on her target, and licked her lips expectantly, before gesturing for it to 'bring it on.'

The monster swiped it's leg at her, and she jumped neatly out of the way, reaching her hand forward and flicking something from her palm. As it hit the ground, the thing exploded in a blast of colour and light, and I watched as dozens upon dozens of tiny pink and purple and blue lights danced toward the sky. I was mesmerized.

It took a moment to realize that the men with the guns were throwing me to the ground, holding me by the roots of my hair, and shoving the fire arms into my neck, and various other parts of my body. Then, they spoke. That was the first time I heard that breath-taking language.

_"Fryd ec drec?" _a man with a deep voice hissed. He ran his hand the length of my face, and I watched him sneer. I was starting to become scared.

"_Y veaht! Eh risyh teckieca!" _another stated, looking around the group, as the others nodded in agreement. Whatever they were saying, I prayed it was good. No such luck.

_"Fa gemm ed?"_ a smaller looking one squeaked, and jabbed his gun into my gut. They were going to kill me. I could feel it. I poised, ready for the stab of the cold metal bullet that would end my life.

"_Fyed!" _a tiny voice called. It was high pitched, and quite obviously belonged to the girl who had rescued me. They all ceased to move when she spoke, but I saw one of their fists curl, and another mutter something like "Rikku-"

"_Fryd ev ed ec risyh?"_ she asked, coming forward and gesturing at me. The largest frowned.

"_Pid, Bnehlacc!" _I gathered the others weren't happy to hear this, as a few tutted and another moved his gun so it was at a better angle to shoot me. She saw this, and her eyes narrowed in the darkness. She drew herself up to her fullest height, which still wasn't much, and looked the man directly in the- well- gas-mask. She spat her next words.

_"E vunpet ed! Fa pnehk ed fedr ic!" _she told him fiercely. He seemed to bare his teeth at her, but she ignored him. I screeched as he yanked me to my feet by my hair. The girl came up to me, and I still could hardly make out her face. She brought her body close to mine, and I felt her arm whisper against my own. Then, she pressed the side of her face to mine, and I felt her eyelash flutter. Was she going to kill me? Had she been telling them to save me for her?!

"_Cunno," _she breathed, apologetically, and I felt her hard, iron tipped knee cap connect with my delicate gut. I gasped in shock and pain, doubling over, clutching my stomach. She was the last thing I saw, as one lit a lamp, and my view turned hazy- I might have been seeing things in my sudden state of wooziness, but if I'm right-

Her eyes were… _green_.

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**Al Bhed Translations (in order of appearance)**

--What is this?

-- A fiend! In human disguise!

-- We kill it?

-- Wait!

-- What if it is human?

-- But, Princess!

-- I forbid it! We bring it with us!

-- Sorry.


	3. Machina Ruins

**Guys, please please please review if you like it! I've only had one reviewer, my new friend Fuzzyfezz! Thank you for reviewing! And every body else? A lil' love would be greatly appreciated. Oreos for all! **

**Machina Ruins.**

_**Tidus**_

My head was pounding, and I didn't think I'd be able to stand, or move, or talk- or basically do anything more than just lie there, and wish that when I opened my eyes, I was back in Zanarkand, lying in my bed and snoozing peacefully. Then, I remembered that couldn't be right, because one, my bed was a lot comfier and warmer than this hard, cold, metallic feeling space I was sprawled on- and two, oh yeah, I'd almost been shot dead last night, and was taken prisoner by a bunch of guys with bad fashion sense. When I did finally managed to crack my eyes open, barely, my worst fears were confirmed.

I was lying on the deck of some form of ancient ship. I say ancient, because the iron was rusted, and in places was completely copper in colour. The railings around the side of the boat were almost non-existent, and when they were there, they were jagged, and worth more danger than they were safety. There seemed to be a cabin of some description just up ahead, and this too had seen better days, what with the glass of the windscreen shattered in countless places, and yellow symbols scrawled hastily across the front of it. I couldn't make it out, but maybe that's 'cause my vision was foggy or something.

I squinted, and saw the girl… the girl… oh yeah! Little Miss Green Eyes! I wondered if I had just been delusional when I'd seen her. No one had green eyes. Ever. It just didn't happen; I'd seen brown, hazel, blue, turquoise, red, purple… all those colours, but green wasn't on the list. The theory was, that there just wasn't a gene that made green eyes, and if there ever had been, it had died away centuries ago. Or maybe, I thought, it just hadn't come around yet when I lived in Zanarkand.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, there Tidus! You're jumping to crazy conclusions here- I'm still in the same time frame… right…? Yeah, I mean, that Sin creature couldn't carry people through time, I mean that was just plain crazy… Auron would have said something, anything to maybe even… warn me.

Anyway, the girl was inside the cabin, and through the broken glass, I could see her leaning up against a control panel in the room, arms crossed, pouting. I couldn't see whom she was talking to, but her lips were working furiously in mysterious shapes, and I figured she must be speaking that crazy language she'd jabbered away in earlier.

Suddenly, (As if my throbbing head could deal with sudden movements. Ouch.) the door of the cabin banged open (Banged. Again, ouch.) and, I'm not exaggerating, the weirdest looking man emerged out onto the deck.

I noticed for the first time that we were swaying gently. We must be in the ocean, or else some body of water. I couldn't see above the ground level, though, so I couldn't be sure.

This guy had seven armed jump suit guys with him, each one with one of them weird looking guns. They were green, and the barrel was twisted, ending in an orange type of funnel, where I guessed the bullet came from. They were all pointing at me.

The guy leading them had a sunshine blonde Mohawk, and strange blue, green, and red tattoos painted across his tanned, bare chest. He was wearing baggy blue trousers, deep black suspenders keeping them on as they joined over his shoulder. His black boots were scuffed and mucky, and there were a few major holes in them. His fingerless gloves also had holes in them, and I noticed his fingernails were yellowing and dirty. He didn't exactly smell like spring time either. He flicked his fingers, and all the armed men pulled their goggles and masks off. I gaped.

_Every single. ONE. OF. THEM. Had green eyes._

Emerald gems, hypnotising me, and making me more and more light-headed by the moment. The girl who had saved me from death yesterday was there too, standing on the right hand side of the tattoo man, hand on hip, pursing her bubblegum lips, and tapping her thickly soled boot against the deck, making a harsh, metallic tapping sound. It thudded into my head, and made me want to throw up. She stopped when she saw my eyes water. I tried to stand, and felt the end of a gun collide with the back of my head. I fell to the ground, as the pain echoed to every corner of my mind.

_"Ced, lybdeja!" _a gruff voice yelled at me. I bit me lip, and then tried to reply. My words were angry, yet still slightly slurred.

"Hey! That hurts!"

_"Hu sujehk, rayn?"_ the man who had hit his head snapped at me, green eyes glinting dangerously. I ceased to move, even though I had no clue what the hell they were talking about. They all keep their guns tight on me, and I knew I had no chance of ever escaping. If they wanted me here, then I was royally screwed. If they didn't, I figured I was even more royally screwed.

_"Caynlr res!"_ the guy with the Mohawk, who seemed to be there leader, pointed a menacing finger at me, and shouted in that strange tongue that had me baffled. The girl rolled her emerald eyes and marched over to me, pulling me up gently by the arm. I eased into her touch. After she had me standing up straight, she moved her hands swiftly down my body, starting at my arms, running them down my torso, then my legs. I shivered. Then, she was finished, and stood, one hand clutching mine, the other on her hip.

This was starting to get annoying, not understanding anything. I figured I'd just tell them straight.

"Right. Whatever."

_"Tu oui hud cbayg?"_ the leader yelled at me. I frowned, and shrugged, shaking my head and pouting. Idiot. You'd think he'd realised by now I had no idea what the hell they were on about.

"Still can't understand," I snapped, wanting them just to freaking shoot me already. If I was never going home, no one knew who I was, I didn't know the language, and I was trapped with crazy people, then I didn't really care anymore.

I felt the gun ram into my back, and my knees buckled. I swore as I heard another jumpsuit guy yell.

_"Ehcumahla!"_

"_Fyed!" _the high toned voice of the girl yelled. I turned to look at her, and got the full startling affect of her eyes. Not only were they shocking green, but a lighter, spring green spiralled inwards meeting with her black pupil to form a twirling effect in her eyes. I gasped, and she smiled, daintily. Sticking her tongue out at the leader man, she focused on me once more.

"He said, you can stay if you make yourself useful," she murmured, her voice sweet as honey. I gaped.

"You can understand me!?" I asked her, joy filling me up. Finally, I'd found someone who could speak my language! At least I didn't have to go learning a totally new and pointless bunch of junk. The girl smiled kindly at me, and bopped her head once in confirmation. I smiled, but she bit her lip and glanced nervously around me to look at the man. I caught on, and muttered,

"Alright. I'll work."

She beamed at me, and shooed the others away, handing me my sword from were it was propped up near her. I smiled in thanks and she walked over to the railings, glancing over and nodding to herself. She turned to me, and beamed again, and I raised a brow. She frowned at that, and turned back to the sea, strapping a belt around her waist.

"We found some ancient ruins right beneath us. It's not active now, but there should still be some power left. We're gonna go down there and activate it...and then we should be able to salvage the big prize!" she told me, excitement apparent in her high, glittering voice. I nodded, and went over to the railings with her. She glanced at me, slightly nervously.

"You know how to swim right?"

I grinned at her.

"No problems there."

I looked down at the murky, dirty water, nothing like Zanarkand's crystal clear blue waves of lapping water. This water was gross, and I'm pretty sure it was going to feel slimy.

"So, what exactly am I doing?" I questioned, wondering what her definition of 'make yourself useful was'. She grinned at me then, and her face lit up in a dazzling smile. Then, she leapt over the side of the railings, and was hanging onto the side, leaning back, swinging lazily from side to side.

"That's easy. Just follow me, 'kay?"

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I was right about the water. We swam for what felt like hours, deeper and deeper, darker and darker, coming across hideous monsters every once in a while, but I wasn't fussed about them. Either I swiped at them with my sword, or the girl threw one of her grenades at them and they blew up.

Eventually, we came to a chamber, walls thick with algae, sea weed and dirt. The girl swam up to a glowing panel in the centre of the room, and started tapping at it, getting steadily more frustrated as all her attempts to get it to come to life failed. I swam up beside her, and she shrugged, looking defeated towards me. I kicked the machine with my boot, and there was a huge whirring noise, like some great beast coming to life.

The machine rumbled and groaned, and then finally, lights spouted everywhere, and the girl beamed her glistening smile at me again, pointing to the surface. I nodded, grinning back.

She wasn't that bad at all.

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I clambered back up and onto the boat first, sticking my hand out to help the girl up. By the time I'd turned round to offer my hand, she was up and over the railings, dumping some of the weird metal things we'd salvaged on the ground. She turned to me, grinning widely and then walked towards the cabin. I followed, but was blocked by a jumpsuit guy with a freaky gun.

_"Oui, uidceta!" _

I tried to get past him into the warm cabin, but no dice.

"Hey! Hey, I helped too, didn't I?!" I shouted. I couldn't see the mysterious girl, only jumpsuit man, who shoved the gun into my chest. I scowled and marched away, throwing myself down on the deck. My stomach rumbled in agony. I hadn't eaten in- how long? Unaware, I slipped into a light nap.

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Thud. Thud. Thud. The rhythm of footsteps, steady and calming. I propped an eye open, and was staring at the pretty girl with the green eyes. She giggled and set a tray of food down in front of me.

"Food!" I yelped, hugging her legs quickly before wolfing down the food. She giggled harder, and settled down, cross-legged next to me, watching as I shoved the food down my gullet. I started to choke, and she rammed my back with her hard, metallic hand. I coughed and whatever the hell that was stuck became un-stuck.

"It's 'cause you're eating too fast, dummy!" she scolded me, picking the empty tray up, and sliding it across the deck towards the cabin, smile still painted on her face.

I took this opportunity to get a proper look at her.

She was definitely younger than me. Maybe 15, 16 around that. She was pretty, with tanned skin and glowing cheeks. And of course, her interesting eyes, with their swirling pupils and rich emerald colour. Her long lashes blinked over her eyes, and she blushed a little at my staring so intently at her.

I decided we should know each other's name at the very least.

"Hi there. I'm Tidus. What's your name?" I asked her. She smiled shyly, and looked at the ground where we were sitting, fiddling with a tassel on her glove.

"Rikku. Hi," she said, her bubbling voice quiet, and uncharacteristically shy.

"Wow! You really do understand me! I thought- I mean, you should have said something more earlier," I said, trying to make conversation. She grinned and giggled, as she looked deep into my eyes.

"I tried to say as much as I could! But, it was hard, 'cause everybody thought _oui_ was a fiend!" she told me. I was puzzled at that. Everybody thought 'we' were a fiend? I started to question whether or not she could speak my language after all.

"Um… we?"

"Oh! '_Oui'_ means 'you'!" she told me, giggling again. I nodded, understanding. Her freaky made up language. Or… was it made up?

"Oh, right. Um, I don't want to seem rude, but who the hell are you guys, anyways?" I asked her, wanting to cut straight to the point. She cocked her head to one side and stood, walking over to the side of the boat, the railings that weren't all rusted away. Rikku frowned at me, confusion etched on her pretty face.

"We're Al Bhed… can't you tell?" she asked, a blonde brow raised. She moved a hand to her eyes and then almost… flinched away from them… she bit her lip, and turned away from me, facing the murky water and the setting sun.

What the hell was an Al Bhed?!

"I don't even know what an Al Bhed is…" I told her, laughing a little at myself. She span round, her face incredulous, head still tilted to one side in confusion. She rubbed the back of her neck with her hand.

"Where… where are you from, anyways, Tidus?" she asked me. I stood up and walked over to her, striking my usual pose.

"Zanarkand. I'm a Blitzball player. Star player, and youngest Captain ever of the Zanarkand Abes!" I told her, pride making my voice sound big headed. Her eyes were filled with confusion, and a soft smile played on her lips and she turned her head from looking at me, and directed her attention back to the sunset. I joined her, leaning on the railings, gazing at the sky.

The sun was bleeding, dying the entire sky with it's blood, letting it seep into the water, everything becoming a rich shade of yellow or orange or red. My breath caught at the beauty. Rikku spoke then.

"Did you hit your head or something?"

I turned my head to gaze at her, and saw her huge jade eyes staring intently at me. I frowned, but a smirk appeared on my face again, soon.

"Uh, Rikku, you guys hit me," I told her, laughing as I spoke. She laughed at that too, and it was high and sparkling.

"Oh yeah! But… do you remember anything before that?" she asked me, sobering up and fiddling with her tassels again. I shrugged, pondering it.

"I lived in Zanarkand. The City of Lights. People begged for my autograph, and I was living the high life, playing the game that would determine my fame. It was the most adrenalin pumped game I'd ever played, Rikku!" I told her, jumping back into position. She giggled and watched me.

"I had this one pass, where the guy was coming at me, and at me, and I was telling him to keep it coming- then BAM! Last second, I whack him, he goes flying out of the sphere pool, crowd goes wild! Everybody's screaming "WE LOVE YOU TIDUS!" And then… Sin…" I spat the name, recalling the beast that threw me here, wherever I was, with the Al Bhed.

Rikku's shining smiley face faded at the name, and she looked deeply saddened.

"You were near Sin."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement. She looked so sad, as opposed to a moment before.

"Don't worry, you'll be better in no time. They say your head goes all funny when you're near Sin. Maybe… it was some sort of dream you had?" she asked, patting my arm. I shivered at her touch.

No! It sure as hell was not a dream!

"How- I mean, why would it make me… sick?" I asked her. She shrugged, and pouted her candy lips.

"Sin's toxin." She sounded so sad. Sin must have tormented her as well. I frowned. How could she be sure!

"Are you sure, Rikku?"

She glanced at me and nodded sadly.

"Yeah. There isn't a Zanarkand anymore. Sin destroyed it a thousand years ago. So… nobody's played Blitz there for a long time."

This fact hit me like a ton of bricks. A thousand years!? Sin destroyed Zanarkand… 1000 years ago? I MUST be in a different time… but A THOUSAND YEARS?!

Rikku snapped me out of my mental panic attack.

"You said you play Blitzball?" her face seemed to have lightened up at this fact.

"Uh huh."

"You know, you should go to Luca. Someone might know who you are, or you might recognise someone. All the Blitzer's are gonna be in Luca soon. They're having a big tournament!" she told me excitedly. I inclined my head a little at that. I might get scouted or something like that.

Rikku leapt excitedly off the railings, and skipped away from me a little way.

"Okay, leave it to me! I'll get you to Luca, promise!" She patted me on the shoulder again, trying to make me happy. I nodded, and she skipped away a little then turned back to me.

"Unless you'd rather stay here?"

"No!"

She laughed at that.

"Okay. I'll go tell the others. You should probably start trying to learn how to speak Al Bhed!" she giggled and went off into the cabin. She poked her head out a second later, tongue propped up on her top lip.

"Oh, and if anybody asks, don't tell them you're from Zanarkand, 'kay? It's just, Yevon says it's a holy place, and some of those crazy Yevonites might be a little offended it you did."

My head was swimming. _Yevon. Yevonites. Al Bhed. Zanarkand a Holy Place. Toxin. Blitzball. Luca. _

"What the hell?!" I shouted to no one in particular. Suddenly, an Al Bhed jumpsuit guy was running around, yelling something. But, this word, I could understand in any language.

"SIN! SIN!"

Others began to scream.

"Sin _ec rana_!" The boat shuddered and rocked violently, tipping over to one side slightly. I saw Rikku run across the deck, and try and reach me, but be thrown on to her side, clinging to one of the broken railings.

"Tidus!" she yelled for me.

"Rikku!" I tried to get to her, but the boat tipped the other way, and I slid far away from her.

_"Ihtan ic! Ihtan ic!" _

The boat gave one final lurch, and I fell off of it. Straight into the whirling vortex that was Sin. Everything went black.

* * *

**Al Bhed (in order of appearance)**

--Sit, captive!

-- No moving, hear?

-- Search him.

-- Do you not speak?

-- Insolence!

-- Wait!

-- You, outside!

-- Sin is here!

-- Under us! Under us!

* * *


	4. A Summoner Is Born

**

* * *

**

Whoa. Really long chapter here you guys. But don't worry! It's worth it! Guess who we meet today... ya?

* * *

**A Summoner Is Born. **

_**Tidus**_

For a moment, I thought I was home. In the warm waters of the sphere pool, doing morning training, feeling the blue liquid brush my sides, make me soaking wet, and finally feel fulfilled. Then, I realized I was 1000 years in the future, and the only friend I had here, a cute… Al Bhed girl… was probably dead right now. My heart panged in sadness at the thought of her ceasing to live, her lovely face never lighting up in joy again.

Now, I had to focus on getting the surface so I could breathe. I kicked my legs hard to break the surface of the water, and managed to get up there, throwing my head back and gulping down precious air. It was warm, and tasted like sunshine and fruit.

"Heads up!"

I jerked my head in the air, and saw a Blitzball flying toward me at an alarming pace. There was group of men in Blitz uniforms on a white sandy beach, barely 50 metres from me. I leapt out of the ocean, like I'd practiced for the Jecht shot at my last game. I actually got to finish today, spinning in the sky, and firing the ball with my foot at the beach, sending it flying away into the sky.

A man on the beach with a great shock of… tall… red hair laughed at that, and motioned to the other guys, who cheered my kick. I grinned, and swam strong strokes towards them. Climbing out of the water, the red haired man came towards me, and grasped my hand, shaking it violently. I could almost feel the happiness and good-heart emanating from him. His smile was stretched right across his strong jaw.

He was tanned, and really muscular, a good head taller than me. His eyes were shiny blue and kind hearted.

Thank God! They aren't Al Bhed!

I looked around the group. Every one of them had blue eyes. The man with the red hair laughed out loud and picked up another Blitzball.

"You wanna try that move again?" he asked me, his whiter than white teeth glinting in the light of the sun. I nodded, grinning broadly, taking the Blitzball, and taking a deep breath too. Checking the light breeze, and the moisture in the air, I threw the ball up, leaping into the sky after it, slamming my boot hard into it's ridged side, sending it flying over to the other side of the island. The team cheered loudly again, and the red haired man let out a long breath of air, placing his hands on his hips, smiling.

"Hey, you no amateur. Who you play for?" he asked me. I pouted a little, thinking this over. Okay, so one, I knew I was star player of the Zanarkand Abes and youngest Captain that there ever was- but I was seriously starting to doubt whether or not that was going to sound sane here. But, hell. Why not?

"The Zanarkand Abes!" I shouted, praying I was home.

There were a few coughs, and scuffles of the feet, and the red haired man's grin faltered a little as he stared at me with confused eyes.

"W-What team you say again?" he asked me. Hee hee, his accent was funny. It was all broad and dumb sounding.

"Uh, I meant… Forget that. I got too, uh…c-close to Sin and my head's all foggy. So I don't know where this place is. Or even where I came from." I guess that sounded pretty pathetic, as their faces all became sympathetic, and the red haired man slapped my shoulder with his huge hand, nodding his head in understanding.

"Sin's toxin got to you. But, you're still alive. Praise be to Yevon!"

I wasn't really paying too much attention to what they did next. This weird kind of bowing thing, and they all did it at the exact same time. I was little taken aback. Once this was out of the way, however, red- haired guy grinned his huge grin again and threw another Blitzball to me.

"Hey, there! I'm Wakka, coach and captain of the Besaid Aurochs, brudda," he said, laughing as he did. I nodded, smiling back at him.

"Tidus," I told him, nodding at each of them members of the team in turn. They all grinned back at me, and then Wakka laughed his rumbling laugh again.

"Hey, most people don't even remember that. You should be glad, that means the rest should come back soon, ya!?" he laughed.

Ya. Hee hee, his accent was getting weirder and weirder by the minute.

It was then my stomach rumbled hugely, and the team all laughed at me. I went pink, and Wakka took the Blitzball from my hands and threw it to one of the other guys, pulling me along by the scruff of the neck.

"You hungry? Okay! Back to the village. I'll get you somethin'!" he told me, his boisterous behaviour enough to make me smile properly for what felt the first time since… ever.

We started back towards the village on a little dirt path, long green grass along the side of the track. I gazed in wonder at the bluer than blue sky, white fluffy clouds floating along lazily- no pollution from huge machines like in Zanarkand. The grass danced in the light breeze, and it brushed my hair out of my eyes, so I could see the gigantic pink and purple flowers properly. They were opening and closing at their own will, and I ran my fingers along a huge train of ivy that ran along a gigantic stone ruin.

In fact, as we turned the corner, there were more and more ruins, rocks crumbling, old walls with symbols etched into the sides.

It didn't even cross my mind that anything else, like time, or a hurricane did this to the island- I knew that Sin had done it from the second I laid eyes upon it. I frowned, and thoughts of Sin brought me swirling back to Zanarkand. I decided to ask Wakka if what Rikku had said was true.

"Um, It's true Zanarkand was destroyed, right? A thousand years ago? So it's just a big pile of rubble now, isn't it?" I tried to keep my voice optimistic, but towards the end of the sentence, I faltered a little. Wakka didn't seem to notice and just continued his happy walk, nodding his head. Although, when he turned to me, his face was grave.

"Long time ago, there were a whole lot of cities in Spira. Big cities with machina, machines to run 'em. People played all day and let the machina do the work. And then-… well, take a look."

I glanced around at the huge ruins he was directing my attention towards again, and sighed. This is what Zanarkand looked like now. My Zanarkand. The City of Lights was now the City of Rubble. Dead for a thousand years.

"What happened?" I asked, wanting and not really wanting to know all at the same time.

"Sin came, and destroyed the machina cities. And Zanarkand along with 'em. Yeah, that was about a thousand years ago, just like you said. If you ask me, Sin's our punishment for letting things get out of hand. What gets me, though... is we gotta suffer, 'cause of what some goofballs did way back when! 'Course, we must always repent for our sins! That's important! It's just that, it's hard to keep at it sometimes, you know?"

I grinned. This man was so dedicated to being good, and repenting for his sins and trying to make everything better by saying a few prayers and being nicety nice to everybody.

Wakka spoke again, and I pretty much expected what he was going to say next.

"Hey, got a favour to ask ya?"

I grinned.

"You want me to play for your team, right?"

"A major blitz tournament's coming up. All the teams in Spira'll be there! It's so huge, I'm sure someone there will recognize you! Then you can go back to your old team, right? It'll be fun! What do you say, huh? Come on, come on!"

He looked like a kid in a candy store, prancing about, dreaming of sphere pools and Blitzballs and cheering fans and the trophy, I was pretty sure.

"Sure thing," I replied. He laughed out loud and put me in a head lock, rubbing against my hair with his knuckles, making it heat with friction. Then, he threw me forwards a little, and I stumbled. He threw his arms around me shoulders, and grinned hugely.

"Don't worry little guy, I'll keep you safe!"

* * *

We came to the village soon after, not encountering any more of those creepy animals that had swarmed the place where the Al Bhed saved me. The village itself was tiny.

There was a big collection of sticks and twigs in the centre of the village, where I presumed fires were lit. There were about 12 little huts around this, all in a relatively straight line, bright colourful patterns painted on the sides in swirling fashions. I grinned.

There were people sitting outside the little huts sewing, others weaving, others playing with Blitzballs. Directly ahead of us, there was a huge temple, made of white stone, carved intricately all around the door, small gems set in the stone making the temple glitter. My breath caught at the beauty of this little village.

"I was born here. I started Blitz when I was five. I joined the Aurochs at thirteen... ten years...and we never won a game! Well, after last year's tournament, I quit. Time seemed right."

Wakka's voice came from behind me, but he sounded so far away he might as well have been in Zanarkand. He was staring off beyond me, thinking about something I didn't understand.

"So, after quitting, I got this new job, ya? But every time my mind wandered, I thought about the game." I walked up closer to him, as he made his way up a mound of grass over looking the village. His eyes were still lost in some other time in his life. I listened carefully. He didn't say anything for a while, so I decided to prompt him.

"Ten years without a win'll do that." He nodded his head, turning to look at me a little more.

"Last year's tournament was my big chance! But… I couldn't focus. Had… something… else on my mind that day," he told me, and I heard the sadness in his voice. Deciding to lighten the mood, I snorted.

"Nice excuse."

"Hey, hey!" Wakka's voice was hurt, and I hoped I hadn't offended him. But he continued his staring, as if nothing had ever happened. I stepped closer.

"So you want to win this year's tournament. Go out with a bang, huh?" Wakka nodded, and his little kid smile plastered itself onto his wide, strong jaw again.

"Okay then!" I said, seizing the chance. "What's our goal?!"

Wakka shrugged, and grinned at me.

" I don't care how we do. Long as we play our best. If we give it our all, I can walk away happy." I moaned and tapped him on the side of the head. He frowned, confused.

"You idiot. You know who say that? Losers. Yup, that's right losers. I say, 'What's our goal?!' you say, 'VICTORY!" I punched the air with my gloved fist, and watched his face light up.

"Victory? Really?" he asked me, eyes incredulous. I laughed, nodding vigorously.

"Really." Wakka waved behind me.

"Luzzu! Gatta!" he said loudly, grinning. I turned around, and saw two men, dressed all in green, thick armour shielding various parts of their body. They had huge swords too, and the taller of the two grinned broadly at me. I waved slightly in reply.

"Ah, the one from the sea!" he yelled to me. I shrugged and nodded.

"I'm Tidus!" I replied. He laughed at that, and the shorter, darker man did too.

"Be on guard, Wakka! There are fiends on the road today!" he told us warningly.

"After surviving your run-in with Sin, would be a shame if something happened now, Tidus," the older man, Luzzu, said. He turned to his younger companion. "Gatta, lets go."

He nodded sharply and then the older man led him away, both hands rested on their swords, talking politely, yet one eye seemingly always on the dangers around us. I glanced at Wakka, eyebrows raised. He laughed his booming laugh, and slung an arm over my shoulder, leading me away from the mound.

"Who were they?" I asked quizzically. Wakka laughed again and sighed happily.

"Luzzu and Gatta, Crusaders," he told me. I stopped, thinking I'd misheard.

"What? Crew of what?" Wakka laughed loudly again, and shook his head, placing his hands on his hips, as we finally came straight into the village.

"Crusaders, ya? Oh, you're too funny, kid!" he laughed. I smirked.

"Glad I'm so amusing!" I replied. Wakka stopped and opened his arms wide.

"Besaid Village!" he announced, his heart seeming to leap out of his chest from all of the pride he put into that sentence. I smiled and he started pointing things out.

"… And the Crusaders Lodge is over yonder. Luzzu and Gatta are usually there. We'll get you some food after." He suddenly stopped dead, and threw me behind a smaller hut. I staggered a little, and wondered what the hell he was up to.

"Hey, you do remember the prayer, right?" he whispered. I raised a brow. Prayer?! The only thing we'd worshipped in Zanarkand was Blitz for crying out loud. I shook my head dumbly.

Wakka sighed and gave me a quick demonstration, bowing down on his right leg, while making a circular shape with his hands. I frowned.

"You try," he told me. I did as I was instructed and he beamed.

"Not bad, not bad at all, ya? Okay, now go present yourself to the temple Summoner," and with this, he walked away, leaving me standing there, looking at my hands. That sure as hell wasn't a prayer. Back in Zanarkand, that was the sign for Blitzball. People did that sign when I came near them, or another Captain came within distance of them to show their respect. Huh, this place was getting weirder and weirder by the second.

And what the hell was a Summoner?!

Deciding it was no use standing there and looking gormless, I made my way towards the Crusader's Lodge, seeing as that was the only place I really knew. I entered, and saw Luzzu and Gatta sitting at a very cluttered desk, files and papers scattered all over the top of the desk and the ground around them. Gatta acknowledged me when I entered.

"Tidus! Hey! You've been near Sin, right? How long ago was that, can you remember? Recently, was it?" he questioned, Luzzu turning in his seat to see me. I frowned, thinking.

"Yeah, I think so," I replied. Hell, I was damned if I knew when Sin attacked Zanarkand. Huh, recently. More like a thousand years ago.

"So, Sin can't be far, right? You're not hiding anything, are you?" he was a little too suspicious for my liking, this one. I shot him a glare and he sighed and bit his lip, settling down again. Luzzu placed a hand on his arm, calming him.

"You see, if Sin's nearby, it'll attack the island for sure. But it hasn't. I wonder why?" he was talking more to himself than me, so I didn't reply. How was I supposed to know what went through Sin's mind? If it had a mind? Maybe it was just programmed to hate 24/7? I decided to act cute and stupid.

"I'm sorry. I really don't know anything. To tell the truth, I don't even know what the Crusaders are." Gatta looked flabbergasted. All right, calm down kid.

"You're kidding, right?" I shrugged, pouting, and flicking my hair. Dumb and pretty, dumb and pretty…

Luzzu smiled.

"Sin. The toxin. Gatta, tell him who we are!" Gatta stood and saluted, grinning like a little boy.

"Sir, yes, Sir!" he yelled, and then turned to me, eyes full of pride. "The Crusaders are sworn to battle Sin! We have chapters throughout Spira, accepting all who wish to join our struggle! The hero, Mi'ihen, formed the Crusaders eight hundred years ago as the Crimson Blades. Later, our ranks grew and we called ourselves the Crusaders. We've been fighting Sin ever since!" I did the math.

"So, what? You've been fighting Sin eight hundred years, and you still haven't beaten it?" Gatta looked defeated.

"Uh…"

I smirked.

"Well, we've steered Sin away from towns many times! And that's all we can do. Nobody's ever been able to defeat it. Our mission as Crusaders is to protect the temples, towns, villages, and people of Spira," Luzzu came to Gatta's rescue, and the younger man smiled in thanks and sat back down, going through papers again.

"Oh, so then whose job is it to defeat Sin?"

Dumb and pretty must have been working, because both Luzzu and Gatta threw looks of utter disbelief at me. Gatta looked worriedly at Luzzu.

"Is Sin's toxin really that bad, sir?"

"It does seem rather bad..." He trailed off and looked me up and down, taking me in properly. I grinned. He shook his head. "We could just tell you, but I think it better for you to try and remember. Go pray at the temple. Perhaps Yevon will help you regain your memory."

Not knowing who Yevon was, or why I should pray, I left. These guys were boring me anyways.

* * *

The temple was wonderful. The floor was the same stunning pattern carved into the entrance of the temple, and the gems reflected the lights of the many fires and candles in the temple. There were men in mysterious robes standing here and there, and there were people huddled over statues of men and women, doing the Blitzball sign. I walked up to a particularly huge statue of a man in huge, billowing robes and stared in wonder at the attention to detail that had gone into it. In fact, all of the statues could have been real people, they were so detailed. A voice disturbed me.

"Ten years have passed since Lord Braska became High Summoner. And finally we receive a statue for our temple," it said, and I turned to see one of the men in robes standing, smiling at me. I figured he must be a priest or something. His face was ancient and wizened, but he seemed to be a nice guy. I nodded, and decided to ask.

"What's a High Summoner?"

The people praying around me gave worried gasps and blessed themselves, before staring at me. I bit my lip, pulling out the toxin excuse.

"I… um… got too close to… uh… Sin's toxin!" I said, hoping it would work. They all sighed sympathetically, making the blessing motions towards me. I smiled in thanks, trying to be polite. The priest came up closer to me.

"The Summoners are practitioners of a sacred art, sworn to protect the people of Yevon. Only a chosen few become Summoners, who call forth entities of great power; the Aeons. The Aeons hear our prayers and come down to us. They are the blessing of Yevon," he told me. I guessed that this Yevon guy must be their God. I nodded in understanding and the priest smiled once more. Then, he bowed and left.

My stomach groaned, signalling that it was time to find Wakka. And lunch.

* * *

I fell asleep after Wakka's nice fulfilling lunch, after he told me I could meet the Summoner later. The nap was nice, and I'd never slept on such comfy pillows before.

"You could at least go see how they are doing!" that was the priest's voice.

"We can't interfere. It's a rule!" Wakka hissed back. I opened my eyes groggily. They didn't notice.

"But, its been nearly..." I fell asleep again. Those words brought back so many memories. Not any of them pleasant.......

_"But its been nearly..."_

_"It's been nearly a day already."_

_"Perhaps you could go look for us?" the woman is so beautiful, it make's me sad to look at her. _

_"People are searching for him now," the official is serious, and it make's me frightened, because I'm only small, after all._

_"Thank you," the lovely lady says._

_"Who cares whether he comes back or not?" I spit at the lovely lady, and she is sad that I don't care. I shouldn't care. He didn't care about me. I ignore her pleas, and it hurts to even think about the lovely lady being sad. _

_"But he might die!"_

_"Fine, let him!" I am spiteful and angry. The pretty lady with electric blue eyes and brown hair bends down to me, voice full of confusion._

_"Do you...Do you hate him so?" _

_I nod my head fiercly. I do hate him. I'm so very angry. _

_"If he dies, you'll never be able to tell him how much you hate him!"_

"Wakka!" I yelled, after my encounter with my… mother in my horrible dream. He wasn't there, so I stood, and went to try and locate him. I went to the temple, and saw him standing with the priest, face lined with worry.

"Is something wrong?"

They both turned to see me, and Wakka nodded gravely.

"The Summoner hasn't returned from the trial," he paused and sighed. "Well… Apprentice Summoner, really…"

I frowned. Wakka sighed and pointed up a grand flight of stairs in the temple.

"There's a room in there called the Cloister of Trials. Beyond is where the Apprentice Summoner prays. If the prayer is heard, the Apprentice becomes a fully-fledged Summoner, remember?"

I nodded weakly. Sure… I remembered.

"So someone is in there somewhere and they haven't come back out?" I stated simply. That didn't sound good. Why was no one just going in a helping him? The Summoner must be in trouble or something, otherwise he would have been out sooner, right?

"A day's already gone by."

What?!

"Is it particularly dangerous in there?" I questioned, sneakily drawing closer and closer to the stairs every moment. Wakka shrugged.

"Sometimes… yeah." Wakka became even more worried by the looks of things. I shook my head.

"And… why don't we just go in there and help?" I asked. Wakka shook his head, looking incredulous.

"Againt the rules! Besides, there's already two Guardians in there!" he sounded like he wasn't happy, and I wondered what was stopping him from helping. Some stupid rule?

"Hey, but what if something happens? What if the Summoner dies!?" I didn't understand! They were just standing around, and the Summoner could get hurt… or die!

"The precepts must be obeyed!" the preist bellowed at me. I decided I didn't give a damn, and charging up the stairs, I yelled,

"Like I care!"

* * *

I entered into a mysterious room, were lots of glowing spheres were situated around the place. Hmm, might as well see what happens, I thought, taking one and squeezing it into a little recess in the wall. A door that I hadn't seen in the wall before became revealed and it lead to another sphere, and I carried on like that, until I'd opened the last door and Wakka was there suddenly behind me.

"Hey! What's gotten into you?" he yelled, cuffing my ear. I shrugged, grinning, as we stepped onto a sort of elevator thing, and it began to slide down the ways. "Only Summoners, apprentice Summoners, and their Guardians can enter here. It's a tradition. Very important," he told me. I grinned apologetically and he nodded.

"So what about you?" I figured he wouldn't be one for breaking rules.

"Me? I'm a Guardian," Wakka told me. He sounded proud. I smiled at him, as we came to a huge gold and ruby encrusted door, ornate and wonderous. I stared at it in awe.

"A Guardian?" I asked, impressed. He nodded, smiling to himself.

"Summoners go on a pilgrimage to pray at every temple in Spira. Guardians protect them. The Guardians in there now...One of them has a short fuse, and who knows what the others thinking! …Well, now that we've come this far...might as well go all the way!" he pushed the door open, and he put on a brave face as he did. I followed, watching everything carefully.

The room was circular, and even more beautiful than the rest of the temple, pretty red fires glowing in golden candelabras. I smiled as I watched them dance. Then, I turned my attention to the bottom of the steps and stopped dead.

A HUGE beast- man- thing was standing there. He looked like a cat, with huge muscles and dark blue hair covering every inch of him. His hair was pure white, and plaited in places and he had a huge spear in his gigantic hand. There was also some sort of broken horn in the middle of his forehead. His yellow eyes flickered to me and then back to the top of the staircase in the centre of the room, that lead to a purple door.

Next, I saw a beautiful woman. Her skin was creamy ivory, and she was curveous. Her red eyes glowed in apparent anger at something I hadn't picked up on, and her huge long black lashes fluttered, her purple coloured lids showing. She had a beauty mark on the bottom right of her chin, her thick purple lips were distracting. Her long ebony black hair was braided and plaited carefully, decorated with special sticks and dangling ornaments.

Her dress consisted of a tightly boned corset, hugging her curves, accentuating her waist and full bust. Grey fur lining plunged her chest, and the necklaces strung around her neck were jangling. Finally, numerous belts were all strapped together around the front of the dress, her black garter visible through a clear gap in the belts. She smiled cruelly.

"What are you doing here? Didn't think we'd be able to handle it?" she asked, her voice rasping and cold. I flinched. Wakka giggled nervously.

"Uh… hey, Lulu…" the woman turned away angrily, and he bent his head closer to me, hissing,

"See! Told ya she gets mad easy!"

"Is the Summoner alright?" I asked the woman called Lulu. She noticed me for the first time. Her face was a mask of shock as she came towards me a little.

"Who are you?"

Suddenly, a loud creaking noise interrupted us, and I looked up the flight of stairs, in time to see the sillouete of a young woman.

She came staggering out, and my breath caught in my throat.

She had a long, flowing, purple pleated skirt, a large slit up one side, were her knee high, black lace up boots could be visible. Her white kimono top folded over a black bikini, and a huge yellow bow cinched her waist, adorned with pink and green and purple flowers, little beads swinging from it. Her detached kimono sleeves were white, fading into lilac, then pink, then purple. A blue necklace was laced around her white neck, a contrast to her shockingly white skin.

And then she raised her head.

Shaking her mahogany locks of short hair from her eyes, I saw her face. Perfect, dainty nose. Shimmering rose coloured lips and rosy cheeks. A braid was in her hair too, green and blue and brown. And finally the Summoner opened her eyes, and I'll admit I almost buckled over.

One, was as blue as the Besaid ocean I had swum in earlier, the lights from the fires reflecting off the sea just as the shining sun had. And the other eye… was just like Rikku's. Glittering emerald green, with the same mysterious swirling spring green pupil. Her lashes fluttered, and she attempted to stagger down the stairs. She was obviously weak.

She lost her footing, and I rushed forward to help, but the beast rescued her. She smiled gratefully at him, delicate like a flower. Then, she surveyed us all, gaze lingering on me, a confused look only brushing her perfect face.

Her eyes never left mine.

"I've done it. I have… become a Summoner!"

And with those words, my thoughts were confirmed.

Everything had changed.

* * *

**A hee hee hee! Review, please!!!**

* * *


	5. Lulu's Contempt

**Lulu's Contempt.**

_**Tidus**_

Whoa. And here I was, thinking that all Summoners were old fogies. Hee hee, guess I really am totally clueless about Besaid Island after all. Wakka put me in a headlock and dragged me out the door of the little chamber, the Summoner… gliding in front of us, looking too dazed and shocked to notice I was even there. The huge, blue fur covered guy was hovering protectively over her at all times, making sure I wasn't anywhere near her. Lulu, the black dressed woman was shooting me and Wakka poisonous looks, her distaste clearly apparent. We walked in silence back through the Cloister of Trails, then through the main part of the temple, and finally out into the blinding sunlight. All of the villagers were clustered together, and as the Summoner emerged, they clapped and cheered and yelled and screeched.

The big blue guy never left her side as the villagers came to her, bowing and petting her and fawning. I gulped. These guys were taking this really seriously.

"Wait till you see this!" Wakka said excitedly, pushing me to the front of the now gathered around her crowd, and stood proudly next to me as the Summoner walked to the centre of the village and the woman, Lulu, handed her a long staff.

It was purple, with a huge decorated disk at the top of it, pure gold by the looks of the way it glimmered in the sunlight. The Summoner flashed a brilliant smile at Wakka and nodded.

"Okay…" I heard her mutter to herself, drawing her body up to it's fullest height and taking a deep breath.

She brought her hands up to the sky as if asking it for something. Everyone but me gasped in delight as orbs of shining light began to spin around her in a perfect circle, faster and faster and faster, until they became a whirl of colourful streaks. Then, they shot up into the sky and merged together, where they appeared to hit the clouds and glitter, like a star.

I frowned. Was this it? Was that how she was supposed to defeat Sin? With some balls of pretty colour? What the-

There was a gigantic cawing noise, like that of an eagle, but this caw… was so beautiful. It almost made my heart break at just the sheer echo of it through all of us, standing together around this seventeen year old girl. It was silent, and the musical birdsong reverberated throughout all of us. That's when I saw him for the first time.

He was majestic, and so very elegant. The heavens opened where the lights had hit it, and he came swooping down to us, a great gush of clear air hitting us as he did.

His head was held high, his golden beak sharper than any knife I'd ever seen. His eyes were amber pools of hope, and his feathers were the richest shade of crimson I'd ever some across. The feathers around the outside of his gigantic wings were royal purple, and as he stretched his huge wings out to their full size, I saw he had three, golden hoops hanging off one.

He was one of the most beautiful creatures I'd ever laid eyes on.

Everyone gasped in pleasure as he flew right down to the Summoner, and same so very close to her, blinking his eyes expectantly. He let out a soft coo from his throat, and I saw his feathers ruffle. The Summoner was awed by his grace and beauty. She smiled softly, and I saw, for a fleeting moment, she and the bird as one.

"I'll call you… Valefor…" she breathed, bringing her smooth white hand up to the bird's head, and running it the length. Valefor let out a delighted chirp, the loveliness making even Lulu smile. The Summoner smiled at him again, and Valefor, after a nod of his huge head, flapped his wings once, and shot up, back into the sky, until she called for him again.

* * *

Apparently, the Summoner being able to summon one of the Aeons (I found out later that's what Valefor was) was a big deal, especially after she was so close to just being accepted. There was a colossal bonfire lit where she had Summoned earlier, and the villagers were sitting in huddles around it, eating, drinking and having a good time. I was standing with Wakka, and my eyes (unintentionally… of course) drifted to the Summoner. She was sitting on a log, villagers crowded around her as usual, hands folded delicately on her lap, speaking in her soft voice to them.

She smiled gently and that was when I saw it. It wasn't like normal fakeness, when someone's clawing at you and being all lovely when they really despise you- the fakeness was almost… unhappy. But then, it disappeared, and she caught my eye, blinking embarrassedly at me, and smiling gracefully again. She really was… pretty. I didn't even know her name…

"Tidus!" it was Wakka, calling me back from my dreaming.

"Let me introduce you to the team," he said, grinning at me, and pointing each out. He addressed his team, smiling still. "This guy here wants into the tournament so bad, I let him on the team. His memory's a little fuzzy, so don't mind him if he says anything odd! Come on, say hi!" He rammed his fist into my back, and I stumbled towards the team, cringing a little.

"Uh… hi?" I said, trying not to make too much of a spectacle of myself. The Summoner was still watching me, pretty face glowing in the light of the fire. Her eyes were so… intriguing. Whoa! Did I really think that? Could Summoners even date? I grinned and tried to avert that particular train of thought out of my head.

"Uh… yeah. So… what's our goal?!"

"TO DO OUR BEST!" the team yelled at the top of their voices. I frowned. What?! What kind of a soppy we-always-lose-so-our-motto-has-to-be-something-like-do-your-best motto was that?!

"What?! No! When I say, 'What's our goal?' you say 'VICTORY!'" I punched the air with my right fist in demonstration. They all looked thoroughly confused, and a few glanced around like I'd totally lost my mind. Then I grinned and threw my fist in the air. The Summoner was still watching.

"So what's our goal?!" I cheered loudly. The all grinned, and leapt forth in a fighting stance, screaming in perfect unison,

"VICTORY!"

"All right!" I cheered back, hive-fiving Datto. The Summoner giggled softly and then returned to speaking with the group of villagers. I decided I should go introduce myself. When I drew up alongside her, the villagers shot me poison filled looks. I cringed. One old doll stood up and blessed herself before scowling terrifically at me.

"Stay away from the Summoner, you heathen!" A little girl stood up next, as did the Summoner who had a hurt look on her face.

"You're a bad man!" the little girl squealed. I turned away, embarrassed and upset. Why was I so evil? Because I'd gone through the Cloister of Trials and wanted to save the Summoner? I heard a beautiful noise then.

The Summoner was speaking.

"No! No, please, don't. It was my fault to begin with," she told the old lady and little girl, settling them back down into their huddle. I was on the other side of the bonfire, when I felt a soft grasp on my upper arm. I span around to see the Summoner, standing with her hands folded shyly behind her, worrying her teeth against her lip. She bowed, and smiled daintily at me. She was so beautiful in the light of the moon and the roaring fire.

"I'm so sorry if they offended you… They are somewhat… protective of me. But they only do it out of fondness," her voice was eternally calm and soft, like feathers or cool water in a brook.

"No, that's okay," I told her, not wanting her to worry. She smiled again, and her mismatched eyes became alight.

"How rude of me… I didn't introduce myself. I'm Yuna," she told me, reaching her hand out. I took it, as gently as I would hold a newborn, because it was like porcelain and I was afraid of breaking it. In fact, all of her was like porcelain. She blushed at my touch and looked at the ground, seemingly gathering strength from within.

"Tidus," I told her, smiling. She nodded and continued.

"Thank you. So much. F-For your help in the temple earlier…" she told me, meeting my eyes again and smiling. I frowned. I thought I was doing something wrong by going in there, yet she was thanking me…? She sure was nice…

"I thought- I guess- I-I'm sorry," I told her, rubbing the back of my neck. What the hell! What was happening? I was usually so smooth around girls, cool as a cucumber, you know? This girl was making me trip over words and try and grasp sentences to garble out. She smiled softly at me, the blush still faint on her cheekbones. "Guess I kind of overreacted, huh?" She shook her head, coming a little closer.

"Of course not! I was… over-confident. You… I heard… my prayer was answered when you called out and asked if I was alright," she told me, gazing at the ground. I decided I should make her feel good about whatever she had done earlier, as she seemed to believe it was my doing.

"But… Yuna?" Her head perked up at my use of her name, and she smiled at me. "That… Aeon thing. Valefor, right? That was…" I searched for a word that was fantastic enough to convey to her how amazed I was at her beautiful Aeon. She smiled at me as I became glassy eyed, trying to clutch onto every part of that afternoon and Valefor.

"He was beautiful, wasn't he?" she asked me, her quiet voice like music itself. I nodded grinning, blushing a little. She blushed too, and we just stood there together in a cute silence.

"Tidus?" I looked up at her and she came a little closer.

"Do you… think I can become High Summoner?" she asked me, biting her lip. I thought this over. She was beautiful, obviously talented and loved by all. Evidently she was going to become something great.

"Yeah, I do."

She beamed at me, full force of her devastating beauty ramming into me. I was breathless for a moment. The little girl who had slandered me earlier skipped up to Yuna, and tugged at the pleats of her skirt. Yuna pulled her eyes away from mine and leant down to the little girl.

"Lady Yuna, will you play with me?!" she whined. Yuna smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Of course. One moment, okay?" The girl skipped away again and Yuna locked gaze with me once more.

"So… tomorrow then?" she smiled softly at me, forever a porcelain doll. I frowned and she cocked her head to once side, locks of auburn hair spilling over her shoulders. "We're… getting the same boat… aren't we?" I nodded in realization and smiled.

"Yeah… sure we are! See you then Yuna," I told her smiling hugely. She nodded in reply and giggled.

"Goodbye, Tidus… Tomorrow…You can… t-tell me more about Zanarkand?" she sounded hopeful and then smiled once more, before walking away to the girl and her huddle.

Yuna believed me! She believed me about Zanarkand! The only person! And we were getting the same boat! I had now idea why I was so elated over this fact, but I was. Yuna made me feel… very good. I felt a sharp nudge to my shoulder as I was staring at Yuna still. There was a giggle.

"She's cute, ya?"

I let out a low whistle and Wakka laughed, slapping my back.

"Don't be getting any ideas, you hear? You tired or what, Tidus? You want that bed I made up for you or not? It's getting late, see," he pointed towards a hut, and I nodded, because I was truly exhausted.

"Night, Wakka," I grinned and did a two fingered salute. He laughed, hands on hips, and then went to Yuna. I heard him trying to pry her away from the villagers, convincing her she needed rest.

I fell asleep… all I could think about was what she said about Zanarkand…

*

_I see Yuna, beautiful, obviously talented, and loved by all always. She is standing on the dock, smiling at me as I run to her. A sense of urgency spurs me on._

"_Where's the boat?" I ask her, puffing and panting. Yuna giggles and points to the gigantic blanket of blue that is Besaid Ocean. _

"_Everyone will find us if it doesn't come soon," she told me, like she was telling me some dirty secret. That doesn't sound like her…_

"_You sure this is okay?" I ask, worried. She sighs and walks to me, eyes bright._

"_Would you take me to Zanarkand?"_

_I open my mouth to say yes, even though I've only known her for hours._

"_Hey!" There comes a voice I remember well. I turn, to see Rikku, the Al Bhed who saved me run up, and put her hands on her hips, looking cross. "You said you'd go with me!"_

"_I… uh…" I am lost for words. Rikku throws a disgusted look at pretty Yuna._

"_I thought Wakka told you not to get any ideas?!"_

"_He did?" Yuna smiles in a far off fashion. Rikku sticks her tongue out at Yuna._

"_Yeah, so you're coming with me!" she yelps at me, tugging my arm closer to her and I glance back at lovely Yuna who looks sad. _

_"Hey! Stop dreaming! You, with a woman? You can't even catch a ball!"_

_That is the voice that haunts me. That is when I realise this dream, despite the nice girls, is a nightmare. The two are now beside my evil father, who is sneering at me. Same always, they always go for him, and I fade to the background. I shuffle my feet. _

_Suddenly, I was that little boy again, nine years old, and so much hatred surging through my veins. _

"_Oh, what's that?" That mocking tone, spits like poison from my father. "Gonna cry again? Cry, cry. That's the only thing you're good for!" He laughs at me, cruel and mocking. _

"_I hate you," it is a child's voice, not my own. _

"_Huh? What's that?" Jecht spits at me. _

_"You have to speak loudly," Yuna is tormenting me now too. I stand and scream, at the top of my lungs._

"_I HATE YOU!" _

_Jecht still cannot hear me._

"_That's the spirit!" Rikku calls._

"_You can do it!" Yuna is making fun of me. _

_*_

"I hate you!" I woke from my nightmare, screaming those words. I was puffing and panting like some caged animal, and my bed sheets were tangled on the floor. I was sweating wildly, so I decided to stretch my legs and get some air.

Dad always liked to do that. Come back, when I thought I'd gotten rid of him, and ruin my dreams, the place that were supposed to be my own. It wasn't fair! He ruined my childhood, I should at least get to spend what are supposed to be the best years of my life away from--

Moonlight was pouring in through a crack in the hut's curtains, as they lapped gently in the breeze. There were only embers of the fire left to die away, but I heard voices. Heated ones at that. I peeked, not being able to resist. It was Wakka and Lulu.

"Wakka!" Lulu sounded upset. She twirled round to stare at him, long black dress trailing on the ground, throwing her hands up in the air. "He's _dead_, Wakka, alright? Dead!"

She stopped for a moment, shutting her eyes and drawing in a deep breath. Wakka seemed mesmerised by her, as he just stood and stared at her, hand flinching up towards her arm to perhaps comfort her. When Lulu opened her eyes again, all hints of emotion were gone, and she was the cold woman I'd met earlier.

"He does look a lot like Chappu. I was surprised, too, the first time I saw him. But no matter _what_ he looks like, he isn't Chappu! You _shouldn't_ have brought him here in the_ first place_!" she hissed at him. I bit my lip. Who was Chappu? Were they talking about me?

Duh, of course you idiot. I saw Wakka fumble for words, as Lulu tapped her foot on the ground, impatiently.

"He needed our help, Lu!" Wakka tried to defend me, but his strong gaze crumbled at Lulu's poisonous one. I even cringed a little. She shook her head in disbelief and her face contorted into a look of utter disrespect and disgust.

"Excuses again?"

There seemed to be some deeper meaning to this, something that cut Wakka deep, as he flinched away from her. Lulu never stood down, just kept standing her ground, sneering at him.

"But… yeah, but, Lu-"

"No more 'yeah, but Lu's!'" she imitated his lumbered speech. He looked at the ground in sadness. "That's it! _Enough, _Wakka!"

With that, Lulu turned, and her many beads jangled, her dress sweeping the dusty floors. Wakka made to follow her, but gave up on his idea moments after, pulling back. He pulled something from his pocket that confused me.

It was a white flower. He turned and looked at Lulu storm into her hut, and then crushed the flower in his fist, despair etched on his young face, making him look much older than he was.

I was barely back sitting on the bed when he came into my room, still distraught. He saw me sitting up, and his mood didn't shift.

"Couldn't sleep?"

I decided not to beat around the bush.

"So… who's Chappu?" He glanced up, a soft yet sad smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"You heard that huh?" I nodded and he settled himself down before gazing long and hard at my face and replying. "My little brudda Chappu… He… looked a lot like you." I bit my lip and settled my hand on his shoulder. He _looked _a lot like me. Not looks.

"He's dead? I'm sorry Wakka, I didn't know…" I wanted to ask him why I'd seen Lulu, the apparently non-emotional Goth almost cry, but I decided not to push it too hard.

"He was with the Crusaders when they fought Sin last year. He didn't make it. I first heard on the day of the tournament." Realization swept over me, and I remembered our conversation earlier where I'd accused him of making excuses. I cringed and let my hand slip away from his shoulder.

"That's why?"

He nodded, and this usually upbeat and cheerful man seemed broken hearted. But… part of me believed this was partly Lulu's fault… had the flower been for her? Had Wakka meant to give it to her? Had she… loved Chappu?

"I became a guardian to fight Sin, ya? But I'm more worried about a stupid game now than avenging my brother. Well, after the next tournament, I'll be a guardian full-time! I know it kinda looks like I'm using you… but I'm not." I nodded in understanding. Blitzball was everything to him, apparently it always had been. He could be a full time Guardian when the time was right for him, and no matter what Lulu said, I would stand by him.

"Don't worry. I mean, I owe you a lot. You really helped me out, you know? What I mean is… thanks, Wakka," I told him, grinning. He blushed, and his usual huge smile became plastered on his face once more.

"Ah! You're embarrassing me!" he said gruffly, pulling me into a headlock and ruffling my hair.

* * *

The next morning, the sun was brighter than it had ever been in Spira (because that was the place I was, according to Wakka…what a weird name, huh?) and it seemed that this… God of theirs, Yevon was truly smiling down on us as the Yevonites truly believed. The bonfire from the night before had burnt into ashes on the ground in the centre of the village, and the rubbish that had been left from the festivities promptly cleared away. They sure were strict here. Back in Zanarkand, it usually took a full week to clear up after one of our fiestas.

I stretched and glanced around the stony area leading up to the temple, to see Wakka trying to make polite conversation with Lulu, who was ignoring him. Jeez, that woman was rude. She was staring coldly at the temple doors, and when she heard me shout good morning to Wakka, who ran up and slapped my back, she sighed angrily and followed reluctantly.

Wakka smiled proudly at me.

"Hiya, kid. Listen, there's something I want to give to ya. Just… as a welcome present, you know? Here. Use it well, okay?"

He handed me over the most intricate sword I'd ever seen. The handle was platinum, shining in the sun, clear blue diamonds glittering in swirling patterns. The blade was long and jagged, curving a little at the top, made entirely of… glass! Inside my glass sword, there was clear, blue water, like that of Besaid's huge ocean. I gasped.

"You're _giving_ this to me?" I asked him, in utter disbelief. Lulu surveyed me coldly. Then, shot a disapproving glance at Wakka.

"That's the sword you gave Chappu," she said, her voice never quivering a little. I must have imagined the emotion last night. Wakka nodded, and turned his head to her, a strong stance and a harsh expression fixed on his handsome features. Lulu looked taken aback.

"Yeah, well, he never used it, and we might as well give it to someone who I know needs it," he said forcefully. Lulu smirked a little, as though she thought it was rather comical that he was trying to stand up to her. He broke her gaze and glanced at me, then looking at the temple.

"Where's Yuna?" he asked. I pouted.

"We're getting the same boat as her, right? So, how come we can't just go get on it and wait there for her?" Lulu rolled her eyes, but Wakka explained.

"Yuna came to this village ten years ago, when the last Calm started. Since then, she's been like a little sister to me and Lulu. But she had the talent! She became an Apprentice. Now, today, she leaves as a Summoner!" It seemed his chest was going to pop open with all of his pride in his 'little sister'. I grinned at him, and turned my attention to the temple, where I saw Yuna trying to haul an extremely large suitcase down the steps. I ran up to her, trying to help.

She didn't look up as I pulled it down.

"Oh, thank you, I thought I was never-" she looked me straight in the eyes. Our noses almost touched we were so close. She blushed a terrible shade of red and bit her lip, wringing her hands together. I smiled.

"Thank you," she barely whispered. I hauled the suitcase down to Wakka and Lulu, but Lulu sighed at Yuna, smiling softly.

"Yuna… this isn't a vacation… why the suitcase…?" she asked. Her voice changed dramatically when she was talking to Yuna, not Wakka. I noted this, swiftly. Yuna blushed.

"They are gifts… for the temples," she told her. Lulu shook her head, instructing Wakka to take it back into the temple.

"It'll be easier if we travel light," Lulu told Yuna, placing an arm around her small shoulders and leading her away. I heard Yuna sigh softly, like she wanted to protest, but then she muttered,

"You're right, Lulu. Travelling… light will be better." I followed, Wakka catching up soon.

* * *

I'd never taken into account just how many fiends there were in Besaid. We must have run into a good six or seven, but I was sort of glad… I got to try out my new sword (which is beyond awesome) and I got to see Black Magic for the first time. Lulu was a Black Mage, and Yuna was White Mage, Wakka explained to me.

We came to a fiend that basically looked like a giant blob, called a Flan, and Lulu smirked at it, before throwing her hands up in the air and clicking her fingers, causing it to ignite in fiery tongues of bewitched fire.

However, Lulu's other method of attack terrified me. It made Yuna laugh so hard tears came to her eyes.

"What's so funny?!" I demanded, as she clutched her stomach.

"It's just a moogle, Tidus! A stuffed toy for children! Lulu controls it with her magic, and makes it do what she wants it to."

_That thing_, did _not_ look like a child's toy. It was a hastily sewn bear type thing. It's head was too big for it's body, round and looked like an onion. On the top of it's head, there was a thin piece of wire, a red ball attached to the top. It had crosses, sewn with grey thread for eyes, and it's mouth was a crooked smile. It's body was then same pale cloth, stuffed and sewn with hasty crosses. It was limp in Lulu's arms, and I had thought it to be Yuna's, or something, but it wasn't. When Lulu closed her eyes, and appeared to be in deep concentration, she was actually implanting part of herself in the moogle's head. When she opened her eyes, the moogle's eyes were glowing bright red, and it's twisted smile was demented looking. Lulu clapped her hands, and the moogle leapt at a small fiend, shocking it with electricity.

That was when I'd climbed the tree. Lulu had smirked at me and carried on, Wakka jogging to keep up with her, and Yuna had stood at the bottom of the tree for a little while, laughing at me, before carrying on.

I had just managed to get to the bottom of the tree, back onto the dirt trail, when I heard a monstrous growl. Thinking it was a fiend, I armed myself hurriedly, glancing hastily around. The ruins were piled high here, and when I looked up, I was not expecting my next surprise.

Yuna's Guardian, the hairy blue, cat like one, was leaping from ruin to ruin, terrible ripping noise issuing from between his teeth. He landed in front of me and let out a blood curdling roar, before launching at me with a crudely made spear. Crude. But sharp as hell.

I dodged, and tried to hit back, but he rammed the side of the spear into me. I fell to the ground gasping for air, when I heard Yuna.

"Kimahri, please!"

"That's enough!" Wakka yelled, coming to me and pulling me up. I grasped his arms, my side aching from the blow. Kimahri nodded his huge head and carried on through the dirt track while Yuna sighed in sadness. Lulu walked to me.

"Kimahri Ronso, of the Ronso Tribe. He comes from Mount Gagazet. He's another of Yuna's Guardians. He's probably the most protective of her. So just remind yourself- if you hurt Yuna, Kimahri will be the one you have to deal with," she told me coldly, before walking on, beads jangling, moogle hanging limply at her side. I shivered. Wakka set me up straight and tried to find Lulu, while Yuna came up to me.

"Where does it hurt?" she asked, smiling sympathetically. I pointed to my side. She placed her delicate, white hands on the patch. I flinched away, fearing pressure on the tender area, but I couldn't even feel her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before I felt a tingling sensation ring through me.

"Cura…" she breathed. She pulled her hands away, and there was shiny green light were her hands had been, leaving small handprints on me. They faded away, with the pain I'd had moments ago. I gaped at Yuna, lost for words as she smiled softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm a White Mage. That's what I do. Cure, and aid. Don't worry about Kimahri. Sometimes, we don't understand him much either. He doesn't talk much anyways! But… I've known him since I was a very small child. I trust him with my life," and with that, she led me along the path way to the boat.

Yuna was only adding to the mysteries that Spira held for me.

* * *

**Please review! I'm getting hardly any love for this story, and I wish I had more! xx Thanks for reading.**


	6. The Dance

**Robert Pattinson's 'Let Me Sign', really inspired this chapter, and the little additional scene I added at the end. You should give it a listen, even if you despise him- it's pretty good. Thanks to all my reviewers! You guys rock! **

* * *

**The Dance.**

_**Tidus**_

Our first destination was Kilika. This was on the way to Luca, and Yuna had to pray at the temple there. So, as the boat lazily lumbered along the waves of the ocean, she was bombarded by people also travelling on the boat, and I didn't get to see her much. It was our second say on the sea before we actually spoke.

Or, rather, I saw her speaking to other people. She was sitting on the raised platform of the front of the wooden boat, swinging her legs gently, the breeze tickling her face making her hair whisper around. She was fiddling with one of the beads dangling from her kimono sash and she was trying to look interested. I have to say, she was doing a great job of it. But I could see that, behind the happiness in those mismatched eyes, something else was brewing. What, I just couldn't put my finger on was the problem.

Two men were gossiping about her at the back, as she answered another's question.

"Word is, that Summoner's got noble blood," one told the other, in a thick Besaidian accent. The other nodded, and twirled his moustache slightly.

"I heard she's Lord Braska's daughter!" he replied, his accent one I hadn't come across in Spira yet. The other man's eyes widened and he stared at Yuna long and hard.

"You don't say?"

"I do say. Just look at her eyes. One's blue Like Lord Braska's but the other's green, from the Al Bhed heathen he married," he whispered back, and the two of them exchanged knowing glances. I frowned, and tapped one on the shoulder.

"Sorry, but if there's something you'd like to say about Yuna, either say it to her face, or to her Ronso Guardian's," I spat. The men's heads jerked around nervously, looking for Kimahri to just leap out and kill them right there. I smiled unpleasantly at them and carried on back down the boat to Wakka and Lulu.

Kimahri was in fact, standing, as always right next to Yuna, making sure no harm ever came to her.

"Is Yuna's dad famous or something?" I asked Wakka. Lulu shook her head in utter disbelief and Wakka nodded, looking excited. In think he kind of enjoyed telling me all this trivia on Spira and Yuna.

"She's the daughter of High Summoner Braska! You saw his statue at the temple. Lord Braska defeated Sin ten years ago. Yuna's the heir to a great legacy!" I frowned. So, basically, me and Yuna were in the same boat. Her dad was a great Summoner, my dad a great Blitzer. They both sling their hooks, and we're expected to just pick up where they left off and carry on being as good as them at everything. None of it ever made sense then, and it still confused me. I sighed and gazed at Yuna from where I was.

"It's tough… when you're father's famous."

"Huh?" Wakka's expression was puzzled, and that was the first time I ever heard Lulu properly laugh. I smiled at her, as she laughed at Wakka and me, coming over to us, belt buckles banging into each other.

"Wakka's not much in the imagination department. It's best if you don't confuse him, Tidus," she told me, her normally cold voice rather… pleasant. For Lulu, anyway. I laugh and nodded.

"I'll keep that in mind, Lulu," I told her, as Wakka shot a confused look at her and she shook her head and walked away. I watched as the thick crowd of people suffocating Yuna dispersed, and seized my chance to talk with her. Making my way nonchalantly up the boat, I watched as she went to stand at the very head of the boat and her shoulders slumped.

I came up behind her and grinned, waving stupidly. She giggled a little, and that beautiful rosy blush crept up her neck again, making her eyes sparkle and her mouth quirk into an amused little smile at the corners. She bit her lip for a moment, and I leant against the front railing of the boat, letting the wind brush my hair and face, making me want to stand up and stretch my arms out like a gull and let it hit me full. Yuna broke my train of thought with her hesitant voice.

"The wind… it's nice, isn't it?" she asked me, seeming to read my mind. I grinned at that and she blushed laughing at herself, me joining in soon after with the laughing, her smiling face contagious. She clutched at the railings steadying herself, brushing a stray strand of mahogany from her neck.

She gazed at me a moment, wondering to continue. She took the plunge then, directing her attention back to the ocean.

"You're a Blitzball player aren't you? From Zanarkand?" she added, somewhat… hopefully, I thought. I raised a brow. She really did believe me.

The sun was hitting off the sea now, and it was shimmering almost as bright as Yuna's eyes. I shrugged, grinning.

"You hear that from Wakka?" I asked her, wondering if he was telling everyone I was a nut. She smiled and nodded once, and I sighed, shaking my head in sadness. "Wakka… yeah, Wakka doesn't believe me at all," I told her, and she bit her lip for a moment before smiling softly and making my head spin a little.

"But… Tidus, I believe you," lucky for her, the wind carried her barely audible words to my ears. I jumped up and turned to look at her. She paused a moment before turning her head to gaze at my wide eyes.

"Y- you believe me?" I asked, quizzically. She smiled and nodded, before cautiously reaching her hand up, flinching, and then reaching again, to run her finger along the Zanarkand Abes logo I had on the platinum chain around my neck. She let out a long breath.

"Of course… Where else would you have gotten that logo? I've only ever seen it…" she stopped speaking, and her brows knotted in concentration, before she glanced back up at me, and her expression melted to her pretty face once more. "I've heard that, in Zanarkand, there is a great stadium, all lit up even at night! Great Blitzball tournaments are held there, and the stands are always full. They would all go and watch him… so would you…" she trailed away, seeming distant, and I thought I saw the shadow of tears appear in her eyes. I was flabbergasted.

"How do you know that?!" I asked, incredulously. She described every part of the Blitz stadium to perfection, and she was correct in saying there was never an empty seat and one of our games. Ever. She smiled and sighed, dropping her hand from my logo to her side before continuing.

"A man named Jecht told me. He was my father's Guardian."

I thought I'd just been punched in the gut. Had she just said… a man named Jecht? I had never heard that name used before… Definitely not in Zanarkand, anyways. And… she knew so much about the stadium and the games, how could this Jecht not be who I thought he was? But… no that was impossible. My father… was dead.

"Jecht?" I asked her again, checking I was right. She nodded, suddenly looking concerned at the sour expression my face contorted into. "My father's name was Jecht," I spat bitterly, and Yuna gasped in shock, blessing herself. I frowned at the sea, anger welling inside me. So my old man had gotten to even Yuna before me, and made her infatuated with him too. Great. Dammit! No matter where I went or when, no matter if it was a thousand years into the future, my father was constantly there, stealing all my thunder.

"Amazing!" Yuna's usually soft voice was high and flustered, and she briefly reminded me of Rikku. "Our meeting must be the blessing of Yevon!" she exclaimed. I glanced up at her face, and noticed it was the first time I'd seen her excited. She was usually so calm and collected, but here she looked like… a proper seventeen year old. Like one of the giggling ones back home. However, this giggling girl was Yuna, and I knew she was going to be way harder to crack than those Zanarkanadian bimbos.

"Sounds like him, but it can't be him."

"What?!" Yuna looked crestfallen. "But… he wore blue trousers, and had dark hair, and red eyes, with a scar through one eye! And… he wore a bandana, and he had that logo tattooed across his chest! And… you… you have the same chin as he does. And when you speak, sometimes you remind me so much of him. I thought I was imagining things!"

She saw my face, and sighed, her eyes like a candle flickering out. "Why couldn't it be my Jecht?"

I played with the hem of my glove for a moment, before licking my lips and tasting the salt of the sea on them.

"Because… my father, my Jecht… died. Ten years ago, off the coast of Zanarkand. He went out to sea training one day, and he didn't ever come back." I tried to make my voice sound upset, but all that came out was a snarl. I hated him so much. Yuna blinked and then bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes properly now.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, turning away from me. I watched as she wiped a tear that escaped away, and was instantly upset. How had I made her so upset? Maybe… her Jecht had meant a lot… she said he was her father's Guardian. And apparently her father was dead too. Must be bringing back bad memories for her.

"Yuna…" I began, ready to console her. But before I could say anything, she span around, a smile lighting up her face again.

"That's the day I met Jecht!" she squeaked, and I frowned, shaking my head in confusion.

"It's true! I first met Jecht ten years and three months ago! I remember, that was the day my father left. The date fits, doesn't it?" she folded her arms and… _smirked_ at me! Yuna _smirked_! Bemused, I smirked back at her, and she, laughing, unfolded her arms and leant on the railings again. I sighed. Jecht was definitely dead.

"Yeah… but… how would he get here?" I asked, begging her with my eyes to just drop it and agree with me. No such thing. Yuna smiled and forced me to direct my attention to her. I couldn't stop myself from falling into her eyes.

"You are here. Are you not?" her voice was quiet and her smile was small. I felt something then. Something jolt in my chest, and I panicked. She was making me almost pass out with a glance. I was way in over my head with this one.

Suddenly, the boat give a violent jerk, and people were thrown around. Yuna and I retained our balance on the railing, attempting to brace ourselves.

"What was that?!" I demanded. Lulu was being helped up by Wakka and Kimahri was trying to make his way across the deck towards Yuna and I. Again, the boat gave a disturbing lurch, and tipped to one side.

"Yuna!" I yelped as she lost her footing and began to fall backwards. I reached out and clutched at her hand, tugging her in close to my chest. She threw her arms around my shoulders, clinging onto me, her body shaking in fright. She was terrified, I could tell. She'd barely started her pilgrimage, and already she was being attacked at all angles. She held on tighter, and I clasped my arms firmly on her back.

"Are you okay?" I inquired. She nodded her head furiously, and then tilted back slightly, testing her balance.

"Thank you, Tidus, I- Whoa!" before the sentence could be finished, the water beside us was broken, and a gigantic fin became visible to us all. I didn't need to ask.

"Sin…" Yuna breathed. I saw Kimahri coming for her, and threw her towards him. She landed in his arms, and smiled gratefully at him. He ran with her, trying to hide her. Lulu ran up beside me.

"Are you helping?!" she demanded.

"It's heading for Kilika!" one of the sailors yelled. They ran towards a harpoon gun at the front of the boat and Wakka shot a horrified glance at Yuna.

"Are you guys crazy?! You stick a harpoon in that thing, it'll drag us _all_ under!" he yelled at them. One of the men was close to tears.

"Our loved ones are in Kilika! _Please_… forgive us, Lady Summoner!" they begged Yuna for her forgiveness, and despite the terror I had sensed from her a moment ago, she merely nodded, and ran beside me.

"Wait! Oh, boy…!" Wakka yelled, terrified.

Sin's fin was punctured with the harpoon, but to be honest, I think that just made it angrier. Wakka threw his steel implanted Blitzball at the fin, causing it to weaken slightly. Lulu began casting Thundara repeatedly, eyes focused all the time, her moogle moving in sync with her actions on the deck. I tried not to concentrate on that. Kimahri was doing a little damage with me, our swords and spears not enough to reach into the water. Sin released spawn upon us, similar to the ones that me and Auron had had to battle in Zanarkand. The sailors were running, frantically trying to find something that they could use to stop Sin from hitting Kilika in it's destructive path.

Yuna reached to the heavens, and I heard Valefor's caw, the bird swooping down upon us in seconds. It came to Yuna, who stroked his face and begged for his help. The Aeon nodded his enormous head, and rising up into the air, gave Lulu and Wakka some time to rest. He surveyed Sin for a moment, before opening his golden beak and ruffling his feathers. Next thing I knew, a laser beam was shooting sharply from deep within him, leaving deep cutting lines of melted flesh across Sin. For a moment, that appeared to be the only thing happening, but then, explosions began to cascade across Sin's fin, blasting parts of it sky high, making it crumble into dust into the water.

But I knew it wouldn't be resolved that easily. That was just the fin of the beast.

The part we couldn't fight that was in the water, began to shoot through the water faster than light, and the waves soon died down to ripples, the ripples soon to pure stillness.

The sailors were crying. Sin was headed straight for Kilika. Straight for their lovers and families.

Somewhere, far off in the distance, a child cried out to terror.

* * *

The woman rocked the baby back and forth. Her other two children, Darnii and Dania threw the Blitzball to each other, laughing in their seven year old voices Darnii telling Dania she would have to work a lot harder if she ever wanted to be as good as he was. Dania scowled and kicked the ball into his arms and proclaimed something that made him giggle and throw it back to his sister. The woman rocked her little baby boy in her arms, cooing at him in an adoring voice.

"Kanna, my little man… You love your momma, don't you, darling?"

"Momma?" It was Dania. The woman glanced up at her daughter, smiling.

"What is it, my lovely?" the woman asked adoringly. Darnii ran up then too.

"Don't you hear it, momma?" he asked her, his young face lined with worry. She paused and listened. Nothing but the breeze in the Kilikan trees, and the warm weather whistling around them.

"Nothing, dears. Now go play. Daddy will be home soon. Don't wor-"

Darnii, Dania and Kanna never saw their father again. Their mother, never saw her husband again, and most of the other people near the docks in Kilika that night were killed. Sin attacked, sending a tsunami to tear apart their lives. There were no Summoners in Kilika, to protect or save them.

Darnii's Blitzball floated away on the tide. He'd never get to play for his team.

* * *

"I must defeat Sin."

I looked at Yuna, who was silently vowing. She shook her head and glanced at me, her stony look turning soft only for a moment.

"I _will _defeat Sin."

I nodded, and leapt up, as the boat drew into the harbour. Yuna was first off the boat, head held high, coming up to a poor old man and woman, huddled together, each shaking violently with tears. I bit my lip as I looked around, and caught my first glance of Kilika.

There were wooden walkways, built on water everywhere, little thatched huts and tents, the rippling water beneath us, a dazzling crimson colour as the blood red sky reflected across it. I would have been lost in the beauty of this little place, but unfortunately, our current predicament disallowed this. There were plants torn from the earth and scattered everywhere, and the little remaining walkways were flooded, shingle lying thick in clumps all over them. There were many huts without roofs, crying people scattered here and there, mother's weeping over bodies of… little children, lovers separated and terrified.

Yuna remained strong, more for the people than herself at this point I thought, and laid one of her porcelain hands on the old woman's shoulder. Her head jerked up, and I watched as her bloodshot eyes widened, and she bowed hastily, whispering thanks to Yevon. Lulu stood gravely next to me, Kimahri at Yuna's side, Wakka's head bowed in silent prayer. I gulped and looked at Yuna, who was willing the old lady to talk.

"I am Yuna," her words were gentle and soft, coaxing the woman into speech. "I am the Summoner from the temple of Besaid… Please, if there is no other Summoner, allow me to perform the Sending?" She brought her mismatched gaze to the old man's brown one and he nodded, wiping a stray tear from his eye.

"Thanks be to ye," he croaked, clasping Yuna's hand. She smiled at him.

"Our loved ones…" the woman's voice was choked. "We feared they would become _fiends_…" her body racked with sobs again and Yuna nodded, turning to another villager close by.

"Please, take me to them?" she asked her, and the teenager nodded, brushing at her own puffy red eyes before the Summoner. Yuna placed her arms around the young girl's shoulders, and walked off with her, whispering things to her, allowing her to cry into her kimono bow. Kimahri was right behind them, and Wakka followed on after. Lulu stayed by my side for a moment, and then raised a thin, black brow at me.

"Are you coming?"

I nodded, and followed her, treading carefully over the broken and messed up walkways. Lulu brushed her hand to the side here and there, sending water cascading away from us, clearing the path. I watched as her emotionless face was granted colour by the setting sun, and I felt a breeze shake the palm trees and our clothes.

We arrived together, onto another dock, a little ways away from where we had come into port. The walkway ended here, one big deck of weathered wood up behind the beach, the same flaming red torches I had seen in the Besaid temple, the first time I'd seen Yuna, lit at equal intervals. The ocean stretched out beyond us, blazing, blood red. I blanched as I saw dozens upon dozens of woven wooden caskets beneath the surface of the water.

Each had been decorated with elaborate design and bright pink flowers. I frowned, as Yuna stood by the ocean, speaking with someone. She was fiddling with a silver band on her little finger, her eyes lost as she did. I looked closer into the water, and saw a tiny version of the other caskets, fit for a… baby. I turned to Lulu, who too, was watching the ocean with her red eyes.

"What's a Sending? Are we going somewhere?" Lulu turned to look at me, confusion painted on her handsome face. She brushed at her single bang and frowned.

"You really don't remember, do you? Are you sure it's just your memory that's the problem?" she asked, resisting the urge to smirk. I waited patiently for her to speak again. She took her time about it, watching Yuna unlace halfway down her boots before opening her mouth again.

"The dead need guidance. Filled with grief over their own death, they refuse to face their fate. They yearn to live on, and resent those still alive. You see, they envy the living. And in time, that envy turns to anger, then, that anger turns to hate. Should these souls remain in Spira, they become fiends that prey on the living," she paused before continuing, watching my expression weaken. So that's what fiends were. Human souls, trapped here, because a Summoner hadn't Sent them. Lulu sighed a little, and I saw the emotion she had portrayed earlier grace her face. Her eyes glistened slightly.

"Sad, isn't it?" Her voice wasn't as harsh as usual… almost soft… not Yuna soft, all shy and sweet, but I could still tell this hurt her.

I turned my attention back to Yuna, who had finished unlacing her boots, and was tugging them off. I watched as she turned away from us, reached into some hidden space in her dress, and produced a purple stick. She gave it a quick flick, and it grew instantly, and the golden disk symbol appeared at the top. I recognised it as to be the staff that had Summoned Valefor. Was she going to Summon him? Was he going to help her carry the souls to rest?

Yuna glanced back at us. Lulu nodded slowly, Yuna's face remained grave. I smiled at her, and her mouth twisted into a sad little smile, after which she took a deep breath and turned to face the ocean. The sun bled into the sea, dying it with it's blood, as Yuna took a step.

I thought she was going to walk into the water. But, Spira and Yuna surprised me again, as she took the step out, and her foot landed neatly _on_ the surface of the water. She was walking on it! She took another slow step, and the water rippled beneath the touch of her small foot, and she took another step, and another, seemingly bracing herself, gathering more faith and courage with each move. She paused, finally, when she came to the centre of the caskets, all still submerged by the water. Her head fell, as she took a deep breath, raising it up again to the sky, and bringing her staff out. She began to dance.

Yuna dancing… I had thought that everything I'd seen that was wondrous in Spira had been the single most beautiful things ever. The temples, the Al Bhed emerald eyes, Valefor… but Yuna dancing… it was like them all rolled into one, as she span the staff around, becoming something else. She wasn't a Besaidian girl, with a stick, or indeed a Summoner, who could bring Aeons forth to dazzle me.

She was something else, but what I couldn't put my finger on. Like some lonely spirit, she danced, twirling her staff round her body, spinning her feet on the water, making ripples form. The same blue, green, pink shimmering lights I had seen when we defeated fiends, rose up around her, like a cloud of dreams, making her sparkle, and seem otherworldly. I was aware of people sobbing uncontrollably, people falling, their bodies refusing to stand tall with any more tragedy. I wanted to look at Lulu, to see her reaction, but as hard as I tried, I couldn't and neither truly desired to tear my gaze away from the stunning entity that was Yuna.

I heard a sob then, and it echoed throughout me, sending shivers up my spine, chilling me to the bone. As Yuna span round toward me, I saw glittering tear trains down her face, and her mismatching eyes were wrought with sorrow, and pain. I wanted to help her, aid her in any way I could, but my body so desperately wanted the dance to never end. She let out another cry, soft, and innocent like a child's but at the same time as it broke my heart, it terrified me with it's loveliness. She was lifted by the water, her pirouette of… some unexplained emotion carrying on, as her dance came to a finish.

It felt like I was waking up from some sort of magical dream, as the wondrous dancer became Yuna again, and the spirits faded, the souls of the people put safely to rest.

I watched as Yuna walked as quickly as she could back across the water, and stumbled as she came onto the land. Lulu ran to her, off the decking to her along the beach, holding her close in a sisterly embrace.

"You were beautiful," she murmured, and once more, I saw Lulu transform into Yuna's big sister, eternally loving towards her. "But try for no tears, next time, okay?" She wiped at Yuna's face, and the young girl tried to hold it back, but her body shook with sorrow.

Lulu led her away from the ocean, Kimahri close at all times, and Wakka told me to come with them to the inn. I wondered what was troubling Yuna so much.

* * *

I wanted to comfort her. She had seemed so distraught earlier. So, when I went to her room at the inn in Kilika, and she wasn't there, I decided to go to the only place both she and I knew in Kilika. This was her first visit as well, after all. So, after managing to ditch Wakka, who wanted to practice Blitz (again. It's all that guy thinks about) I made my way past the broken people, and the damaged houses, towards the decking, and the ocean were Yuna had stolen my breath earlier.

I was right about where she was. She had removed her shoes, and was sitting on the white, sandy beach, knees pulled up to her chest, the slit in her skirt making it fall in two separate places, revealing a toned, smooth white leg. She had removed her kimono sleeves, her yellow sash and white over top. I was awed at how flawless her skin was, the same shade of porcelain white all over her shoulders and back, all the way down her arms, and chest. Not a freckle or blemish anywhere, just pure ivory. She leaned back, not knowing I was there, eyes closed, and leant her head down on the sand, revealing her white stomach. The bikini was… not leaving anything to my imagination anyway, so I coughed to make her aware of my presence. Her eyes snapped open, and her blush rivalled the blood red tones of the Kilikan waters. She sat up and her arms wrapped self consciously around her body, as she bit her lip.

I grinned at her.

She immediately let out a long breath and her body became relaxed again, no longer tense. She was still incredibly shy, however, and blinked once.

"Hi," I said.

"Hi," she replied.

I settled down next to her, pulling my own boots off and my gloves, armguard and Captain's armband. I watched her stare out to sea for a moment, and then, decided to make her talk.

"Hey… you rocked at the Sending thing today," I wanted to tell her it made me weak at the knees to even contemplate one hundredth of what she had done today, but I couldn't put the sheer marvel I felt into words. She smiled slightly, picking at the finger nails on her left hand. I saw a silver ring, with a little blue diamond on her littlest finger.

"That ring's pretty," I told her. She smiled broadly this time and brought her hand up closer to me.

"My father gave it to me before he left for his pilgrimage. He said, that if I ever felt lonely, ever needed him- no matter where he was, I would know he was thinking of me, and he loved me, and that would make it all better… I know it's silly… and he's dead," she spoke quietly. I took her hand, merely to inspect the ring closer, but I felt something jolt inside me when I touched her, like electricity. She must have felt it too, as she blushed, but didn't pull her hand away. I examined the ring, my heart beating a mile a minute.

"… But, it still comforts me, you know? Like today…"

"Yeah, I saw you rubbing it before you…" I couldn't simply say the word 'dance', because it was so much more than that at all. Yuna nodded, and I ran my index finger along her ring. She shivered, despite the boiling heat of Kilika, and gazed out to sea. I looked up, to see her eyes sparkling with tears.

"Before I sent the people. I was… gaining all the strength I could, as I knew it would be hard," she told me. I watched her close, as I spoke again.

"What does it feel like? To send them? Is that why you were so upset?" I asked her. She turned to look at me, a tiny smile on her lips. I watched as a tear welled over the brim of her eye and ran the length of her face.

"You can feel them," she told me, her mismatched eyes fixed with my electric blue ones. They were boring into me, and another tear fell.

"Feel them?" I breathed, startled. She nodded, reaching a suddenly shaking hand up to wipe at her right eye.

"Yes. They were all begging me to stay. With their lovers, mothers, best friends, enemies. They were so angry, devastated at their own deaths, terrified of what was coming next. That was the worst part. The fear. I was shaking myself, at the images in my head, their last thoughts filling me up, their dreams and hopes being washed away, forgotten as they died for the last time. It tore at me inside," her voice was barely a whisper, trembling, and her tears were falling fast and thick now. As she finished her sentence, she put her head in her hands and, shook her head.

"I'm sorry. This isn't s-supposed to happen. B-But it was so scary," she wept. I placed a hand on her bare shoulder and she leapt slightly, turning her face to mine. I bit my lip.

"It'll get better. Until it does, just hope you don't have to Send for another little while," I told her.

"I have to Send for the people. The thought of their loved ones becoming fiends is unbearable. But you're right… it will get better with time," she sighed, and wiped her face with her palms. I nodded.

"Yuna?"

She looked up at me. I could tell she was still weeping inside, her eyes like a storm. "Would you like a hug?"

She tilted her head in confusion, and then the tears she had wiped away, spilled again.

"Yes, please," she croaked, throwing herself into my arms. I closed them around her back, and that familiar, joyous spark flew, as she let her tears cascade onto my shoulder. I don't know how long we sat there, but I wanted her to cry until she was all out. Only then would she be okay again. When I brought her back to her room, she smiled at me, one of those rare, genuine Yuna smiles that elated me.

"Thank you for helping me, Tidus," she said, going to close the door.

"No problem," I assured her, making my way back to my room.

This journey of mine to try and find Zanarkand was getting more and more confusing by the minute. Little did I know, the next few chapters of my story were going to make me even more befuddled than before. And this time, it wasn't just Yuna's doing that made me breathless. Something totally new was going to strike soon.

That was the feeling I had when I fell into an uncomfortable slumber in the boiling atmosphere of Kilika.

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**Please review! Thanks for reading!**


	7. The Other Summoner

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Here we go! I'm going to do my best to post the next chapter up by the end mid week, but I can't make any promises, as I'm struggling to get my thoughts for the next one down in type, LoL, so yeah, my first WRITERS BLOCK has taken place! Hope you like this chapter! Reviews would make my day!

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**The Other Summoner.**

_**Tidus**_

The next morning, Lulu decided that Yuna had had enough time to recover from her first Sending, and to be honest, so did I. If she just sat around dwelling on all the hate and pain she'd felt, then it would never leave her. Also, she had to start to get moving, and complete her pilgrimage, before Sin destroyed any more helpless villages like Kilika. It really did take forever to get to all the different places that Lulu had marked on the map. I had been looking at her map last night, and not only were the names of these places extremely odd, but most of them were quite far apart, and Lulu had explained the number of fiends on the roads went up by the day.

I wondered why those people weren't Sent. Maybe they'd had no family, no one to care if they became envious beasts…

Anyway, I was slightly late at pulling myself from bed that morning, so when I came down the stairs of the inn where we were staying, and no one was there, I figured they must have gone on without me. Wakka was still outside, waiting on me, but that wasn't because he had seen I wasn't with the group- he'd had Blitz training that morning, and after that the team had been trying to help the Kilikans rebuild at least a little of their lives.

"Hey, sleepyhead!" he addressed me, usual huge smile dominant of all his other features. I stretched and grinned, attempting to flatten my messy bed-head. It didn't work, and it just ended up in Wakka laughing whole heartedly at me, putting me in a headlock, and dragging me towards the gigantic forest on the east side of Kilika, through which we had to venture to reach the temple. We walked alongside each other, laughing and joking, until we came to voices… they definitely belonged to Yuna and Lulu, as one was soft and meaningful, the other curt and forceful. That, and Kimahri doesn't talk much. Wakka frowned.

"Hey, good morning ladies! Something wrong?" he questioned. Yuna shook her head a little, and glanced at me, blushing her rosy colour, as per usual. I grinned and waved good morning. Lulu's face was exasperated, and her eyes were burning.

Then, she turned to look at me, her eyes relaying a different message to what her lips spoke next.

"Yuna says she wants you with us," she told me, her voice cold. It felt like she was… _blaming_ me for something… like I'd put the idea into Yuna's head. I was just trying to be nice last night, I didn't want anything like this to happen! Wait… what did she mean by 'with us'?

"Um… aren't I already with you?" I asked Lulu, whose nostrils flared. She rolled her eyes heavily, her longer than possibly natural black lashes fluttering in anger. I watched as her moogle's eyes began to glow a startling red colour, alarming me. Luckily, Yuna stepped in.

"Yes, you are already with us, technically. But… what I mean is…" she paused and seemed to be choosing her words carefully, that familiar blush clawing it's way up her cheeks again. "Would you like be my Guardian?"

I was a little shocked by this. Uh oh. Had last night triggered this? I'd only known Yuna for a few days, and she was asking me to Guard her on what was supposed to be a mission to beat the hugest antagonist I'd ever come across? I wasn't all that experienced at anything in Spira yet, and it was more than a little confusing for me.

"Uh…" I trailed off, wondering if I could have possibly sounded like more of an idiot in front of everyone. Lulu smirked, raising a brow. Wakka was next to speak, stepping forth, his face incredulous. Yuna was staring at the ground right now.

"Yuna! What? This is no time for jokes, ya? He may be a Blitzball whiz kid, but up against fiends, he's a newbie," he tried to reason with her, but she only smiled a tiny smile and kept staring at the ground. Wakka had placed his hands on his hips, and was looking from my puzzled face, to Yuna's shy one.

I shrugged at him, when he shot a questioning glance at me, and was about to open my mouth to talk, when Yuna broke the silence, with her soft speech.

"Not a Guardian then, if you all find that so _shocking_," she smiled again at those words and then looked from Lulu to Wakka earnestly. "I just want him nearby. _Please_."

"What?!" Wakka demanded. Lulu snorted, and turned on her heel, storming off down the path way.

"What do you mean?" I asked her, the confusion in my head leaking into my voice, making her blush harder. She refused to meet my gaze, and fiddled with one of the sleeves of her kimono.

"It's just that… y-you are Sir Jecht's son!" I thought her voice sounded sort of relieved, like she was glad she'd thought that one up right there on the spot. Yuna sure was a bad liar, I thought. Lulu apparently thought so too, as she stopped walking and turned around, walking towards us a little again before stopping, and raising a brow at Yuna.

"Yuna, can't this wait until later?" she asked, keeping her voice low and inquiring. Yuna sighed and nodded her head, looking defeated.

"I'm sorry, Yuna, I'm just not really sure what's going on," I told her, trying to reconcile her even a little. She nodded, that sad little smile she wore on her face back again. She bowed at me, her Summoner's bow, and she was immediately that professional, influential woman again, not a seventeen year old girl.

"My apologies," she muttered, her voice blank and unrevealing of a single emotion. She caught up with Lulu, and the two of them walked away from us, Kimahri, who had been standing next to Yuna like some colossal, hairy, Guardian Angel, moving directly behind her, one eye on her, the other tearing through the thick trees and foliage to find even the slightest hint of danger. Wakka tugged at my shirt, dragging me a little before speaking.

"What did you say to her?" he demanded, keeping his voice a low hiss.

"Nothing! Last night, I just went to make sure she was okay after the Sending," I told him, and he frowned at me.

"You did what? Oh, man, kid, just promise me you'll keep your distance for a little while, ya?" he asked, his voice little above a heated whisper. I frowned.

"Why?"

Wakka rolled his eyes, and craned his neck ahead to see what Lulu and Yuna were doing, but apparently, they too were in deep conversation. Yuna was staring at the ground, and Lulu was talking quietly.

"Yuna's… a very emotional kid-"

"No, she isn't," I told him. Sure, she'd cried last night, but by the sounds of it, anyone doing what she had done would have wept as well. Apart from that, I found most of her smiles were forced, not so much when she was talking to her Guardians, but to other people, it seemed she always strived to make them happy, despite whatever war was raging inside her.

"Yes, she is! I've known her since she was seven years old, and I know her like she's my own little sister. So, what you gotta do for me, is just keep your distance a little, and try not to make her think you're fit to be a Guardian. 'Cause let's face it, ya? You're new to the whole battling fiends idea, and I wouldn't want to get you hurt, ya know?"

I paused and thought this over before nodding, and slowing up a little, letting Wakka walk ahead of me. My mind was teaming with different emotions, thoughts… I sighed crossly and tried to figure them all out.

Okay, number one, I was confused- but that was obvious, given the way I had gaped at Yuna, Wakka and Lulu, only managing to spit incoherent garbles and ask what was going on over and over again. Why was I confused? Well, I had no idea_ how_ you became a Guardian. Did you have to go through perilous tasks, prove yourself worthy to the Summoner by strangling a fiend with your bare hands, or die at the blade of someone's sword that was meant for said Summoner? … I'm staring to sound like those old gruesome faerie tales from Zanarkand that Auron used to tell me. Auron… hadn't dwelt on him in a long time. I wonder what happened to him when Sin-

Getting off track here. Continue straightening out head, focus Tidus. Number two- I was… intrigued. There was no use hiding it. What would it be like to be a Guardian? Yuna's Guardian? Protect her with my life, and make sure no harm ever came to her on her journey? Would I be any good at it? Or would I be a total wash-out just like Wakka predicted? 'He may be a Blitzball whiz kid, but up against fiends he's a newbie'. That stung a little. I mean, I'd helped out with fiends every time we'd come across them, and if Wakka wasn't such a glory hog (man, do I feel bad thinking that- but it's true) I would have gotten more practice in, you know?

A part of me wanted to prove Wakka wrong. Prove I _could_ battle huge fiends, and help destroy Sin. Part of me wanted to gain a smile, or even a nod of approval from Lulu, and her scary moogle. I wanted Kimahri to speak, and tell me how good I was at fighting, or at least acknowledge that I existed. And Yuna… it seemed she already believed in me enough she wanted to entrust her life in my hands, so maybe I wanted to show her that her faith wasn't wasted.

As I thought of her, she glanced back, her face carefully expressionless. I was so lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice her shy smile until she'd turned back around, after Lulu told her to concentrate, as the track was uneven.

Psch. Lulu just didn't want me to become a Guardian. But it wasn't up to her. It was up to Yuna and me. And I knew if I could prove to myself _and _to Wakka that I was able, I'd have no problems.

I figured I'd start out small.]

Pity Spira's _always_ throwing things you _really_ don't want in your direction.

We came to the foot of a _gigantic_ set of steps, white stone, hand carved by the look of things. They were nice to look at, and were only slightly worn, but I guessed that this was because not many ventured up them. It was going to take _forever _to climb to the top of these. The Besaid Aurochs had been traipsing along behind us, and as I gulped at the prospect of climbing the steps, Datto and Letty came and punched Wakka, playfully in the arm, both grinning in a way I'd decided by now only Besaidian men could. Wakka replied their beaming smiles as Letty spoke, his accent so thick, I had to concentrate hard to grasp what syllables he was producing.

"We pro-pose race, ya?" Wakka laughed at him and put a hand to his forehead, shielding his eyes from the boiling hot Kilika sun, squinting to see the top of the steps. He sucked air in cautiously and turned on the two shorter men, a wicked smile etched on his face.

"You really think you can beat me, fellas?" he asked them, his accent suddenly becoming much thicker as he addressed his fellow Besaidians. Datto laughed and Letty nodded his head hard. Lulu tutted heavily and rolled her eyes, going to stand next to Kimahri. I looked at the three men, and decided this is how I could begin to prove my worth as being a Guardian. That, and it sounded like fun! I grinned at Wakka, whose eyes widened and lips curved into his familiar huge smile.

"You kiddin' right? Well, if ya wanna get smoked," he slapped my back and we lined up at the foot of the steps.

"Think you guys can beat me, huh? Well, time for me to show you how it's really done!" I cheered. Wakka laughed and tensed, ready to run.

"Don't hold ya breath, kiddo," he muttered. "Yuna? If you would?"

Yuna, who had been quiet up until this moment giggled and walked to the foot of the stairs, sticking her right arm out and clearing her throat.

"Ready?!" she called. We all nodded, sharp and short. Then, Yuna laughed wildly, and sprinted up the steps before any of us had even had time to register what she was doing.

"Hey! No fair!" Wakka yelled after her. Wakka, Datto, Letty and I ran as fast as we could, and soon caught up with Yuna, who, despite having a head start, was wearing a dress, that wasn't really all that suitable for running in. Lulu and Kimahri took their time climbing after us, Lulu's brows raised, yet I thought I saw a ghost of a grin on her face, and I'm pretty sure that behind all the fur, Kimahri was smiling at Yuna. She giggled and grinned back at him, as the Aurochs ran on ahead of us.

Suddenly, they were yelling, crying out at the tops of their voices, running back down the way we'd come.

"L-Look out!" Datto yelped. I ran to the top of the stairs, and saw what seemed to be a gigantic rock. It had a hard exoskeleton, in mossy green colours, a giant purple type mouth in the centre. Lurching at us from either side of the stone platform at the top of the steps were long, thin, tendril like vines, snapping and spitting poison in our direction. They were coiling and squirming to release themselves further from the ground where they had already burst their way through the stone. I gasped, and said the first thing I thought a Guardian would say.

"Protect Yuna!" Lulu nodded and ran to my side as I rammed my sword into the side of the rock hard body of the fiend. My sword reverberated off the shell, sending shocks through me. Lulu cast Fira at the body, and it repelled it at once.

"It's no use! The body repels all of our attacks!" she yelled. I glanced around, to see the vines protecting the body from Lulu's spell, yet they seemed to smoke a little from the Fira spell. An idea sprang to me.

"Lulu! Keep casting spells at it's body! Wakka, Kimahri! Help me destroy the tendrils!" I called to them. Wakka immediately shot his iron implanted Blitzball repeatedly at one vine. It apparently wasn't too strong, as it crumpled and withered after a few hits. Kimahri swept his spear through the other vine, as I swept low at it with my water sword. We were getting weaker, and Lulu looked tired too, and suddenly I felt the same glorious sensation I had back on Besaid after Kimahri had hit me with his spear and I was injured. I glanced back at Yuna, who smiled.

"Thanks!" I yelled. She nodded, casting Cura on Lulu, who took a great breath of relief and threw her moogle on the ground, who raised it's arms up as she did.

"Need a light?" she asked the spawn, smirking as her Firaga spell tore the fiend to pieces, making it screech terrifyingly, and blasts to go off all around us. Eventually, the sound died away, and we were left, triumphant over the fiend.

"Was that what I think it was?" I asked Wakka, panting. He was doubled over, resting his hands on his knees and trying to regain some strength.

"Sorry 'bout dat! Hoped to break you in a little slower!" he joked, standing up straight again, and going to see if Yuna was still prim and perfect as a little flower. She nodded when he inquired if she was alright, and asked him if he was alright, seeing as he had been the one battling the spawn.

"Being a Guardian's tiring," I said suddenly. Lulu glanced at me, looked me up and down, smirked and nodded curtly. YES! Lulu had accepted me! Wakka laughed and nodded his head, and Kimahri was a little further away from Yuna than usual. She was just standing there beaming at me, the sun seeming to make her sparkle. A light breeze was tickling her face, making her hair dance, and when she caught me gazing intently at her, her lovely red hot blush crept up her neck to her face and ears. She looked away, but her mismatched eyes of the ocean and emeralds were still glowing.

"You handled yourself pretty well! You got talent!" Wakka announced at me, slapping my back, making my knees buckle slightly.

"I agree," Lulu added quietly. She didn't say anything more, but that was enough for me. She was sort of, kind of, not really but still- almost accepting me! I felt like I was glowing.

"What are those Sin spawn anyways?" I asked, sheathing my sword and heading to sit on the steps. Wakka tucked his Blitzball under his arm and leaned against the post at the top of the steps.

"Fiends. They fall from Sin's body and are left behind in its wake," it was Lulu speaking, cool and to the point as ever. I nodded, seeing this as being logical. Sin and fiends caused Spira a lot of trouble, so naturally, the two would have paired up to create optimum pain for everyone by now.

"Leave 'em alone, and Sin comes back for 'em. You gotta be quick!" Wakka began to walk towards a much shorter set of steps across from us, leading up to the temple. I stood and followed him, Yuna walking beside Kimahri silently, Lulu surveying us all.

"So… they got fiends is Zanarkand?" Wakka asked me as we began to climb the stairs. I shrugged nonchalantly.

"Just a few. It's a big deal though when one comes into tow- Hey! You believe me about Zanarkand?!" Could it be true? Could Wakka finally believe me, and not believe I was some deranged child who was searching for attention? Wakka shrugged and kept walking.

"I been thinking. Maybe people Sin gets to don't die. Maybe Sin carries 'em through time. Like a thousand years through time. And then one day, maybe they just pop back, see?"

Lulu stopped dead behind us, and I thought I saw Yuna's already porcelain skin whiten considerably. She edged away from Lulu and I followed her lead, leaving Wakka's side. Lulu was glaring at him, a look of utter disbelief shadowing her lovely face. Wakka was like a bashful teenager, being scolded by his teacher.

"Amazing. Simply _amazing_!" Lulu's voice was higher than normal, almost… upset I thought. But then her face contorted into the same look of contempt I had seen her wear in Wakka's presence back at the bonfire on that first night in Besaid. She took a step closer, her buckles jostling together, many beads and necklaces clinking off each other, her moogle's eyes glowing that dangerous red colour, as she surveyed Wakka.

"You make up one theory after another! Refusing to face the simple truth. Sin didn't _take_ Chappu _anywhere_," her voice turned colder, and I thought that that was kind of below the belt, bringing Wakka's dead baby brother into the picture when he was merely being hopeful that he wasn't totally dead and never coming back.

"Sin _crushed_ him and left him on the Djose shore!" Both Wakka and Yuna flinched at that, and I thought I felt Kimahri stiffen (if that's possible).

"Your brother won't _just pop back_. Oh, and one more thing. No matter _how_ much you _want_ it, _no one _can take Chappu's place!" I thought there was some hidden meaning to Lulu's poison drenched words as pure disgust fell from her tongue. Wakka looked more upset by the minute. "No one can replace Sir Jecht, for that matter! And there's no replacement for Lord Braska, either. It's pointless to think about it, and _sad_."

With that, Lulu stomped past Wakka, totally ignoring him and dragging her heavy dress up the steps. Yuna's shoulders slumped and she glanced at me, biting her lip, her eyes burning, as if to say 'They do this all the time, you know'.

With that look, she took off after Lulu.

"Lu, wait!" she called, lifting her skirts and running to catch up with her only female Guardian, Kimahri staying with Wakka this time, walking alongside him as they carried on, at a far slower pace than the girls up the steps.

Wow. My big moment to shine, become an awesome Guardian, officially- had just been foiled, because something had happened between Lulu, Wakka and Chappu. I thought back, thinking of all the things that I had seen between them since I'd arrived here. The first time I'd met Lulu, she had disregarded Wakka's ability to do anything completely. Then, at the bonfire, he had brought her a little white flower, and somehow, they'd ended up arguing about Chappu again, Lulu looking seriously upset, and Wakka crushing the flower. Then, the next morning, Wakka had tried to stand up to her, and she'd merely smirked. Come to think of it, she was constantly mocking him openly. And what had she meant by no one could replace Chappu?

Maybe… Lulu and Chappu! They were a thing! That was it! Lulu had always been in love with Chappu, hence the reason she was so upset when she had to speak of his death to Wakka. Wakka… Wakka had had loved Lulu… _that's_ why he brought her the flower. Maybe she'd finally picked up on the fact he adored her, and that was what she meant by not being able to replace Chappu?

Any way I looked at it, it seemed both Lulu and Wakka's lives weren't as simple as they seemed on the surface.

We drew up over the top of the steps, and I caught my first glance at Kilika temple. It was similar to Besaid's in the way it was shaped, and the beautiful designs carved into the entrance, but instead of blue gems studded in the carvings, red and orange ones were. There seemed to be some weird heat emitting from these, and I marvelled at how hot the temple was. The red fires were burning strong as I had seen them that day at the Sending, and there were dozens upon dozens of Kilikans about, all praying and whispering thanks and wishes to Yevon. As Yuna passed them, they collapsed to the ground, kissing it and clutching at the hem of her skirt and her hands.

I thought for sure these distraught people were going to trigger all the pain Yuna had felt during the Sending, but after one pained grimace, she managed to put on her fake smile, the one that made me angry, and tell them it was her job, and that they should be thankful to Yevon that their family's souls were at rest in someplace called 'The Farplane.' I didn't ask. My head was so pickled today after all the drama of the morning, that I just wanted Yuna to pray already so we could get on to Luca, and the Blitzball tournament.

We came into a lavish hall just before the Cloister of Trails, to see a man and woman standing together, engaged in a hurried conversation. The woman's skin was dark and shimmering, like the sand I'd seen on the beach in Zanarkand one summer. Her eyes were a boring brown, nothing compared to Yuna's glittering gems. Her hair fell in a long black plait down her back, red ribbons entwined throughout. And… I have to say, for a Summoner, she seemed to be wearing very little. Her yellow bikini was small, and tight, making me embarrassed to look. She appeared to be wearing… how would I describe them… VERY revealing bikini bottoms, black and… stringy. Over this, she had a strange sort of yellow skirt, made of light yellow material, that was laced across the front and came down in two sides on either side of her legs. She wore brown sandals… and a sour expression, as she looked over us. Her nose turned up, and she smirked at the bear like man standing next to her.

"A Summoner? Are you?" she asked Yuna, her voice patronizing. Yuna nodded, smiled (her fake smile) and bowed, graciously.

"I am Yuna, from the Isle of Besaid," she told the woman, who nodded, and didn't shake my outstretched hand. Wakka pressed my arm down to my side, keeping a firm glare at the other woman.

"Dona, from the Isle of Kilika. So…" she paced back and forth a little, eyes tearing over Yuna's small form. Yuna, self conscious as ever blushed and averted Dona's gaze. "You are High Summoner Braska's daughter?" Dona's voice was a tad too disbelieving for my liking, and my fist clenched. I felt Wakka stiffen somewhat too. Dona stopped pacing and glanced at the muscular man. "That's quite a name to live up to." She stopped looking at Yuna then, and her lips mouthed numbers as she counted all of us. She bit her lip, and smiled cruelly.

"And… oh… my, my, _my_," she hissed, eyes narrowing in pleasure at Yuna's discomfort. "Are these people _all_ your Guardians?! What a rabble! If I recall, Lord Braska only had two Guardians. Quality over quantity, my dear. Whatever were you thinking? I have only need for one Guardian! Right, Barthello?" she glanced back at the huge man, who nodded his head stupidly. I snickered, and Dona shot an angry look at me. I sighed, and walked to Yuna's side, slouching.

"Quality over quantity? I don't think you're in any position to preach to Yuna about Guardians, Miss Brawn-over- Brain," I smirked at Dona's disgusted face. I actually _felt _Lulu's eyes burning into the back of my skull, Wakka sighing inwardly at me, and Yuna let out a muffled giggle. She wasn't disheartened in the slightest by Dona's seething words.

"I only have as many guardians as there are people I can trust. I trust them all with my life and to have so many guardians is a joy, and an honour! Even more so than being my father's daughter. Of course, I would never think of questioning your ways, either. So, Lady Dona, I ask of you; please leave us in peace."

Dona raised a heavily pencilled black brow and smirked, nodding her head slowly.

"Come on Barthello. We're leaving," she snapped her fingers at the idiot who trotted up to her like a puppy dog, cracking his knuckles as he passed me. I snickered. I heard Yuna let out a low breath, and I felt her hands unclench from fists as she glanced back at Lulu. The Black Mage nodded her head, smiling a little at Yuna.

"You sure showed her, Yuna!" Wakka announced, placing a hand on her small shoulder. She smiled, a proper smile and Lulu came and stood beside her too.

"I agree. You certainly handled yourself well; she was just angry that she was such an unpleasant person, that she couldn't have more Guardians if she begged," Lulu slandered the Summoner, something I hadn't been expecting from her. She saw my disbelieving face and sighed.

"I am a Black Mage. Yevon do not particularly _indulge_ in the Black Arts as they so believe me to do, but as long as they are not used for evil, there is no problem. Why, Yevon has a problem with the Black Magic I do not know, seeing as practically all of their Summoners have dabbled in it themselves, or indeed had great Guardians who were Black Mages," Lulu finished her rant with a curt nod of the head and a smirk. I grinned and nodded, and as she, Yuna, Wakka and Kimahri stepped onto the elevator that would carry them down to the Cloister of Trails, I too, hopped on. Kimahri shoved me off.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" I demanded.

"You're not an official Guardian yet, Tidus," Lulu said, her voice plain, emotionless. Wakka smiled apologetically at me and Kimahri folded his huge, bulging muscular arms. Yuna tilted her head a little, sadness painted on her face.

"We'll be back as soon as we can, okay?" she promised me, her soft voice earnest and truthful.

"Sure," I nodded, thoroughly disheartened. I thought I had made it, that I qualified to Guard Yuna on her pilgrimage by taking out the gigantic Sin spawn. Apparently not. As the elevator began it's descent, dropped them off, I was leaning over the side to see it return. I didn't hear them speaking, or moving at all, so I figured there were doors beyond. I would have given ANYTHING to be down there helping out. I felt so damn useless sitting around up here, whilst they were down there, helping Yuna.

Then, the doors to the Chamber opened, and Dona and Barthello entered, Dona chattering away. She stopped when she saw me, face puzzled.

"Where's Yuna?" she asked, clicking at me rudely. I raised a brow and clicked towards the lift. She looked even more confused. "Then why aren't you there?" I shrugged.

"Not an official Guardian yet, am I?" I asked her, spite clawing it's way up my throat. I didn't intentionally mean to be rude… it just came out. She smirked then, and sauntered closer to me, Barthello following, always by her side.

"Not an official Guardian, you say?" she laughed then, throatily and evilly for a Summoner, and clicked at Barthello, who stooped over, and swung me over his shoulder. I kicked and beat at his back with my fists, but he seemed to be made of freaking stone!

"Hey! Dona! What's going on?!" I yelled at her. I heard the throaty laughter again, and her voice ran through her next words like syrup.

"Just a little game, darling," she told me. I heard her click, and Barthello dumped me on the elevator, shoving it down, so it creaked and wheezed to the bottom.

"Not good, not good…" I muttered to myself. I glanced up and saw Dona and Barthello standing over the top, both laughing at me. "JERKS!" I yelped at them, shaking my fist. Screw them. I decided if I could make my way through two separate Cloister of Trails, then I must be a worthy Guardian. Standing, I brushed myself off, entering into the stone room.

It was basically the same construction as Besaid, except there were roaring red flames everywhere you turned, and a lot of stuff was burning. I had to solve a hell of a lot of puzzles, and dump those spheres around to manage to find the door that led to the Inner Chamber. There spheres had some sort of jinx on them that disallowed me from carrying more than one anywhere at one time, and it began to really get on my nerves. Finally though, I inserted the correct sphere, and the roaring flames died away, leaving my path to the door clear.

I pushed it open, and entered into the Chamber, where Wakka was pacing, Kimahri was still as stone beside the grand set of stairs, just like Besaid, and Lulu was sitting on the bottom step. As I entered, she sharply jumped up, her moogle falling from her lap to the ground and springing up, scowling at me as she was. Wakka yelped and ran to me, frustration apparent as he shook his head and cuffed the back of my head.

"Hey! It wasn't me! Dona and The Brainless Bodyguard dumped me down here!" I protested, not wanting to get in trouble for something that wasn't my fault. I'd sat up there and waited for them like a boring good boy. Lulu sighed heavily.

"But Yuna will be the one to suffer the consequences!" she insisted, glancing up the steps. No sign of Yuna coming out any time soon. I raised a brow.

"… Consequences?" I asked her. She sighed.

"Yuna could be excommunicated for your actions," she spat at me, anger laced into her words as she tried to remain calm in the supposed Holy room.

"What's in there anyways?" I asked Lulu, who rolled her eyes heavily and turned away from me, her moogle mimicking her actions.

"The Fayth," Wakka told me. I didn't wanted to sound completely idiotic, but I was really curious.

"And the Fayth are…?" I trailed off, glancing around the room for answers to my questions. I heard Lulu's tutting noise, and then she span around, glaring at me, ready to hit me with a fact from her encyclopaedic mind.

"The Fayth are people who gave their lives to battle Sin. Yevon took their souls, willingly given from their still-living bodies." Lulu glanced up the steps to see the door still firmly locked and pursed her thick plum coloured lips before turning to me again, her expression weary. Her moogle collapsed beside her, lifeless, a child's toy once more. "Now they live forever, trapped in statues. But when a Summoner beckons, the souls of the Fayth emerge once again."

She stopped speaking for a moment, taking a deep breath and blessing herself.

"That is what we call an Aeon."

No one spoke after Lulu told me that, we all just either stood or sat in silence, awaiting Yevon hearing Yuna's prayer. I hoped He did- I knew if given the opportunity and the right Guardians, Yuna could defeat Sin. She just needed a little confidence boost.

When she emerged from the Chamber of the Fayth, she looked exhausted, and sick. Her skin was pasty, and sweat mottled, her hair knotted, her eyes weary and her shoulders slumped in fatigue. She didn't stumble down the stairs as she had in Besaid, but when she reached the bottom, she clutched onto Kimahri's fur.

That's when I heard it. The song. It was chilling, yet romantic and beautiful, making my head swim. It was a Hymn I remembered well from my childhood, and in that instant, I knew for definite that Spira and Zanarkand were connected somehow. This Hymn was just too much of a coincidence. I was so confused. We were connected, yet I didn't know anything of Spira, and Zanarkand had been destroyed by Sin 1000 years ago. My head was swimming as we left the temple, and emerged out into the courtyard, walking slowly back down the steps to the forest, so we could get back to the docks and sail to Luca.

As I trailed behind the rest of the group, Yuna waited on me, and as I drew up beside her, she gazed at me with worried eyes.

"Tidus…? Are alright? You look angry," she told me, her voice slightly scared at the thought of something troubling me. I shook my aching head and then rethought that answer.

"I don't honestly know," I told her truthfully. She laughed softly at me, and I couldn't resist glancing at her face to see her real Yuna smile.

"What do you want to do?" she asked me, hoping to make me feel slightly better. I sighed and replied honestly.

"To scream real loud," I told her, laughing at myself. She laughed too, and stopped, standing next to me as I puzzled on my next moves. She tilted her head and her eyes opened quizzically at me, her mouth quirking into a smile.

"Why don't you?" she asked me, her voice deadly serious. So, I did as the Lady Yuna, Summoner from the Isle of Besaid, Daughter of High Summoner Braska asked.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I received many side long glances after that, and Yuna giggled at Lulu's disgusted face, carrying on walking. She was right, I did feel substantially better after that little moment.

"Feel better?" she asked me, and I laughed nodding. She smiled at that, and turned her face forwards, fiddling with her sleeve. Now I was over my temporary annoyance, I truly wanted to know about what happened in the Chamber of the Fayth.

"Hey Yuna, are you okay? You looked a little sick when you came out of the Chamber of the Fayth," I stated, and she glanced up at me, raising her brows.

"Did I? I suppose I felt fine… maybe a little light headed. But… it takes a lot of energy to pray for an Aeon. I want to Summon my new Aeon, and see what he looks like," she said, her voice suddenly excited. I smirked.

"How'd you know it's a boy?" I asked. She cocked her head to one side, chuckling.

"Oh, I can tell," she replied, smiling at me. I laughed at that, and we carried on back to the boats, talking, just like that, laughing as Wakka and Lulu had more arguments, as Kimahri just shook his head at them, and went to stand in between them to avoid more bickering. As we reached the docks and boarded the boat that would take us to Luca, Wakka laughed and threw his arm round my shoulder, cheering loudly.

"Finally, off to Luca! And Tidus? What's our goal?!"

I laughed at him, and jumped in the air.

"VICTORY!"

* * *

**Sorry there's not really much big happening in this chapter, but it had to be done. I don't really like it, and am kind of glad it's over and done with, LoL. But, I'll let you guys be the judge of that! Thank you for every one who has read and reviewed, I owe you guys a lot of Oreos!**

* * *


	8. Just Whistle I'll Come Running

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Just Whistle. I'll Come Running.

_**Tidus**_

It was our last night on the boat journey to Luca that I over heard Lulu and Wakka talking. They were up on the very top deck of the boat, Wakka sitting with his back up against the sails and Lulu standing, leaning on the railings that surrounded them, her moogle lying beside her, a limp little dolly.

"Well? Say something, Wakka. Will you take responsibility?"

"Relax, Lu! He's bound to know someone in Luca!"

"And if not?"

"He could always join one of the teams that are there at the tournament. He's real talented, might get scouted. Besides, anything is better than being trapped on Besaid, not knowing anything. Ya know?"

"But being trapped in Luca not knowing anything is better?" Lulu's tone was sharp, and I could almost envision her expression, disapproving, mocking. I heard Wakka sigh.

"Well what do you want me to do, Lulu?" Wakka demanded, standing up and squaring up to his full height against her. Lulu's brows knotted together as he continued speaking. "So far, this entire trip, all you been is nag nag nag, or sarcasm, or make me look like a total fool in front of everybody. I don't understand what I did wrong!" he yelled, stamping his foot.

"Wakka, you're being childish-"

"I am not being childish! Lulu…" he paused, and spoke her name softly, so soft I could barely catch it on the clear ocean wind. "Please tell me what I did… or what I can do to make it better. We used to be… best friends. What happened?" I heard Lulu let out a sad sigh, and she looked away from Wakka, eyes facing the horizon, the stars above making her red eyes dazzle. Wakka was still inches away from her prominent bust.

"Yuna wants to make him Guardian."

"Lulu-"

"Why do you think she wants him to become her Guardian?" Wakka turned away from her, obviously frustrated at her inability to answer the question that was tearing him up inside.

"She thinks he's Sir Jecht's son."

"Because he is Sir Jecht's son," Lulu didn't wish to believe this by the tone of her voice I guessed, as it was bitter and confused. I heard Wakka walk back over to her.

"You really believe that?"

"Yuna does. And she seems to know him well enough… given the fact they spend a lot of time with each other…" Lulu's tone was suspicious and I could tell her eyes had narrowed. Wakka shuffled his feet a little, and he turned his head, so he too was gazing at the horizon alongside Lulu.

"I noticed."

"But he has to decide for himself, doesn't he?" Lulu sounded disgruntled and Wakka chuckled quietly, not so much at her as to himself.

"Between him and Yuna," he reasoned, voice low. Lulu nodded her head slowly, turning her head to watch Wakka. The strong jaw, covered in red stubble, the colourful bandana, his baby blue eyes…

"I wonder which is best…?" Lulu trailed off, still gazing at Wakka, voice soft. He turned his head to look long and hard at her. Lulu shook her head thinking it over.

"Why don't you tell him he should?"

"Should what?"

I swear to YEVON I heard Lulu _giggle. _Wakka's smile practically lit up the whole deck.

"Should become Yuna's Guardian," Lulu's voice remained quiet and thoughtful. Wakka raised a brow.

"You want him to? Why should I-?"

"Because Yuna can't. He hates his father- what he was, what he did. Do you really think she can possibly say to him... 'I want you to be my guardian, like your father was to mine?'" Lulu told Wakka. I flinched at the word hate. Sure, I did hate my old man with all the spite in my heart, but I didn't need everyone finding that information out. Wakka tilted his head at her.

"Aren't you behind over sensitive?" Lulu smirked, shaking her head in one sweep, beads in her long braids swinging together in rhythm. "All right, all right. I'll try talking to him after the tournament."

"Wakka?"

"Hm?"

"Try to be discreet, alright?" I heard a smile in Lulu's voice. Wakka grinned and nodded.

"Gotcha. Discreet."

They were silent for a moment, I figured they'd turned their attention back to the stars, and the glittering ocean that splayed out beyond with the far off lights of Luca glowing in the distance.

"So… he hates his father?"

"Apparently. That day in Kilika when Yuna asked him to be her Guardian, and I took her to one side and spoke to her, she told me that she couldn't say anything more, as he might think Sir Jecht was the only reason she wanted him to Guard her. There seemed to be other reasons, but I didn't delve any deeper. She didn't seem to be willing to share any more." Wakka nodded thoughtfully.

"Hating his father, huh? Sounds like a luxury to me. I can't even remember my parents. Can't say how I feel about them," his voice was greatly saddened in comparison to his previous speech. Lulu stuttered a little before speaking, something I'd never experienced happening to her before.

I peeked a little closer over the top of the boat's steps, but the two didn't notice me, and I got a better view.

"I… was five when Sin came… So, I remember them… a _little_," her tone was upset, and I saw Wakka reach out and stroke her arm, to which her shoulders slumped, and lids fell over her ruby eyes. Wakka snatched his hand away, and it curled into a fist.

"Dammit!" he swore, kicking a barrel in the corner. Lulu just stood there watching him, all traces of emotion wiped clear of her face.

"Why does Sin have to take _everything_ away from us?!" Wakka demanded. I decided it was time to leave them alone now, so I withdrew, but not before I saw Lulu go and place her hand on Wakka's shoulder, before too retreating away to her room in the under belly of the boat.

I was bored after that, and there was Blitzball sitting right there on deck, practically screaming at me to go over, pick it up and kick it as hard as I could. I walked over to it, unaware of the person watching me from the shadows. Picking the ball up, I twirled it around in my hands for a moment, the memories of my father telling me I was a failure coming swarming back. They bit at me, tearing at my more pleasant memories I had clouded them over with. I sighed and threw the ball in the air, anger attacking me, making me more and more angry. My father's jeering voice was all that filled my ears, the gentle brush of the wind against my face evaporated, the soft lapping sound of the waves dissipated, and all I could see was the twisted smirk, plastered on my father's face as he taunted me with his Blitz skills, telling me I was doing the shots wrong, and showing me, despite my attempts to ignore him, how to do it 'correctly'.

I flew into a fit of rage, fury making everything I saw go red, anger and hatred surged through my veins, making me hurl the ball into the air, and leap up after it.

I caught it, span around a few times for good measure, before throwing it higher, and doing a tumble in the air.

"_You'll never be worth anything!" _I growled as my dad's words scraped at my heart, and kicked the ball with all my might and effort, until I watched it flying out to sea, where it disappeared from view in the night sky. I landed on the deck again, dusting my hands off, and was bombarded by the Besaid Aurochs. I smirked, and inwardly cursed my father.

The _best_? Yeah, right!

Wakka slapped the back of my head lightly, clutching one of my shoulders, a look of pure joy on his face.

"Whoa! Whattya call dat move, huh?" I grinned at him.

"Doesn't have a name. Anyone can do it if they try," I told him. He raised his brows and puffed out his cheeks, always smiling.

"Show me that one more time, ya?"

*

After repeating the shot manys a time, having Wakka fail to do it manys a time, and then retire to bed in his cabin next to Kimahri's because he insisted he couldn't do it, I went and stood at the front of the boat, where Yuna and I had stood on our last day sailing to Kilika. Just before Sin attacked. Before I'd seen a Sending. Before I'd even known what a Sending was. Before… I was asked to become a Guardian to Yuna.

"That was a Jecht shot, wasn't it?"

The voice was soft and melodic, and I knew straight away, the hesitant figure standing close behind me was Yuna. I glanced round, to see her standing in her usual shy position, hands folded neatly behind her back, swaying from side to side a little, biting her lip ever so slightly. I grinned at her, turning back to face the ocean directly ahead of me. It was too dark to see Luca now.

"How did you know that?" I asked her, voice curious. She walked up beside me and shrugged, settling her hands down on the railings at the head of the boat. She tilted her head to one side before answering;

"Sir Jecht showed it to me when I was a child. He called it the… Sublimely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark III," she laughed at the obscenely long name that my father had christened a relatively (if you knew what you were doing) simple shot. I let a bitter snicker escape my lips, and Yuna looked at me, her eyes worried.

"Stupid name, huh?"

Yuna took in a deep breath, and her eyes tightened in confusion, as she thought this over. She hadn't thought this was a particularly stupid name, as I put, because she had thought my dad was _amazing_. He seemed to like her more than he had ever liked me, anyway.

"You know, there wasn't even a Mark I or Mark II? He just made it III, so the crowd would keep coming back. Said it, _encouraged them to buy tickets_, they were hoping that tonight would be the night Jecht showed us his famous I and II of III," I stopped my rant, frowning heavily. Yuna looked a little taken aback. I faltered. "…You already knew that… huh?"

She giggled and nodded her head, bopping it once in confirmation. I sighed heavily and looked back to the sea, fiddling with one of the fingers of my thick brown glove. I saw the charm bracelet around my wrist, white gold with little Blitz charms dangling from it, tiny diamonds set carefully in intricate places. Boy, in Zanarkand, I'd sure lived the highlife. It actually made me feel a little sick thinking it over. They had so little here in Spira, fearing for their lives at every turn, getting married when they were barely of age, as they might not live long enough to find true love. And I'd lived in the richest penthouse in the city, wearing platinum every day, eating the finest foods, slacking off and partying the days and nights away. Blitz had come for granted, but here, it meant so much more. I'd thought that the game was all that made Zanarkand what it was, all of us in turn worshipping it. Here, it was a way of seeking refuge from the harsh realities of your own home.

Thinking of Blitz, and Zanarkand and the highlife only led my thoughts to my father. If he had really come to Spira, I couldn't see him Guarding Yuna's father as she said he had. He was a drunk, who only cared about himself most of the time, occasionally dabbling in other toxins that you weren't supposed to use, partying harder than me, and slacking off on even Blitz. And he didn't even _know_ what the word _'responsibility' _meant. He'd barely known I'd existed, and when he did, it was only to yell at me, or tell me all I was good for was crying. Mom only had eyes for him- no matter how much I did cry. I wondered… if he had been in Spira… could he be…?

"Yuna?"

"Uh huh?"

I smiled at her innocent tone of voice, and her bright eyes as she cocked her head to one side, listening intently to my question.

"Do _you_ think he's still alive?" Yuna's tiny smile faltered and her face became serious, as it so often was. She turned away from me, relaxing her shoulders and shutting her eyes. She laced her fingers together and worried her teeth against her bottom lip, appearing to be in deep, deep thought. After a few moments in this position, she turned back to me, mismatched eyes burning.

" Honestly, Tidus…? I don't know. He was my father's Guardian… I'm sure he'd be able to fend for himself. These pilgrimages aren't to be taken lightly…" she trailed off, looking at my emotionless face. "He _might _be alive," she insisted, thinking the reason my face was emotionless was because I was sad he might be dead. I laughed bitterly, and she raised a slim, attentive eyebrow.

"So, he's famous here, too?" I asked her, keeping my voice low. She hesitated before nodding again.

"Yes… So, if anything happened to him, I expect word would get around quickly. Spira isn't the hugest of places…" she stopped speaking, and turned intently toward me, poking me a little to snap me out of my staring. I faced her, watching her as she spoke next. She was very close. "What would you do, if you found him?"

I smirked and thought this over. Tell him I hated his guts, and wished I hadn't found him. Tell him he was the reason mom died. Tell him I have low self-esteem (which isn't totally true) and he ruined my childhood (which is). But then, I thought Yuna might not like me anymore if I told her what I really thought of my father, so I toned some of my more violent thoughts down.

"Who knows? I thought he died ten years ago… But… I'd probably just smack him one… After everything he put mom and me through. Just 'cause he was famous, I was always…!" I started to become angrier and angrier, but I saw Yuna flinching a little, so I stopped. "Well… you should know, Yuna." She frowned, her eyebrows knotting. She was mindlessly lovely even when she was baffled.

"How so?"

"Well, your dad was famous, right?"

"Yes…"

"So, everyone in Spira knows him, right? Don't you find it… hard?" I stared at her intently, my eyes smouldering, hoping to rake some truth from her lips. I could tell she was trying to break my gaze, but her eyes seemed magnetically drawn to my own. I didn't let my hold on her break, and I saw her fumbling for words, trying to get her brain to send the message to her rosy lips to form sentences, answering my question. Her voice was very soft when she spoke again, her one green, one blue eyes delving into my own.

"It is hard to follow in his footsteps as a Summoner," she breathed. I nodded, showing her I understood and she spoke again, this time, a smile on her face. "But the honour of having a father like him, far surpasses all of that… I think," she added quietly, her eyes meaningful now.

I nodded, not thinking before I spoke.

"Yeah, well, there wasn't much honour in my father, anyway." Yuna gasped, her face hurt, and confused.

"Tidus… you shouldn't say things like that about your father," she said, her voice sad. I'd forgotten her father was dead, and to remember him and his Guardians as honourable was one of the only things Yuna could do to comfort herself in the slightest.

"I got the right," I replied, my tone too snappy for even my liking. She nodded, turning away from me.

"I guess you do… I- I'm a little tired…" she began to walk away from me, eyes sad at my attitude, and her posture low and unconfident, as it so usually was. Sometimes, when she was herself, she broke out of that shell, standing tall and proud, laughing, being… truly happy. I had just made the lovely Yuna truly sad. My heart panged in anxiety at the thought she wouldn't speak to me again, and hundreds of dreadful scenarios span into my head, Yuna asking me not to be her Guardian, that she'd changed her mind and wanted me to just stay in Luca as I was supposed to, or her telling Kimahri and him not letting me near her again.

I felt the static shock I felt sometimes when she _was_ happy, flicker and jolt, urging me to apologise and my stomach was doing back-flips. I cursed myself inwardly.

Jeez, all this over some girl?

_She's not 'some girl', my conscience replied. _

That was true. Yuna was a Summoner, special… for once a girl that was so far outta my league I could barely see her. Back in Zanarkand, I'd had relationships that lasted 30 seconds, involving one slut and another, as there were so many of _those _in Zanarkand. There'd been so many women to chose from there, and making them upset hadn't meant a thing to me. And yet, this beautiful girl, with strange, yet wonderful eyes, and a great burden on her shoulders, made me loathe myself for it.

"Yuna, wait! I'm sorry I was so mean to you. It's just… hard to think of him, you know?"

She didn't pry, beg me to tell her what was wrong, collapse dramatically or even ask- Yuna smiled, bowed once and came over to me again, wind tickling her face, her hair flying around a little, making her seem otherworldly, her beauty in contrast with the light of the moon and flickering torches of the boat.

Yuna merely said;

"Yeah. I know." We were interrupted then, by a Blitzball ramming into the side of my head.

"Ow!" I yelped. Yuna placed a hand over her mouth and burst into laughter, something she didn't do very often. The noise was like music, and I didn't want it to stop. But it did. "Hey! What are you laughing at?!"

She clutched her stomach, and picked the Blitzball up, chucking it up to where another figure was laughing, doubled over in hysteria.

"…Your… f-f-face!" she gasped. I shot a glance up onto the top deck, and saw my mysterious attacker. It was just Wakka. He finally regained his soberness and stood up straight, laughter still in his voice.

"Time for bed, kiddos. Big day tomorrow, champ!" he yelled down to me. I stuck a fist up into the air, grinning at him, and he did a thumbs up before walking back to his cabin.

"You better get some rest. You have a big game tomorrow, right?" I nodded. Yuna smiled once more and walked away.

"Night Yuna," I called. She waved lightly and carried on.

"Goodnight, Tidus," she replied.

* * *

Luca was the first city in Spira that I had visited. I'd thought that all places in Spira were like Besaid, and Kilika, small villages with temples. Boy, was I wrong. You know, I kind of took comfort in seeing Luca. Sure, it was no where near as huge and great or machina based as Zanarkand was, but it was nearer than all the other places I'd been to like my home.

We climbed off the boat in dribs and drabs, Lulu and Yuna emerging last, Lulu looking thoroughly disgruntled. Yuna was walking along beside her, face carefully expressionless as always, but she smiled at me when I waved.

The sky was full of balloons, dyed colours that I didn't even know existed. People were cheering at the top of their voices, asking Blitzers for their autographs, begging them to win for their village, or town, or city. There were boats in almost every port, just one dock empty. I wondered which team was coming in there.

I noticed gigantic speakers everywhere, and two men were shouting to be heard over the rabble and babble. They appeared to be commentating the games, and apparently the day. The people on the street cheered when they began talking again, welcoming a team of men and women off the boat. Their kits were red and orange, and their skin was the same colour as Dona's had been, so I knew instantly that they were Kilikans. Whoa, they sure must be dedicated. Or maybe, they didn't live on the west side of the island, were Sin attacked.

"Ah, over there! The ships carrying the players are arriving now! This would be dock number 2! All the way from Kilika, it's the Kilika Beasts! High Summoner Ohalland used to play for them- a _biiiiiiiiig_ name to live up to! Their hometown was recently attacked by Sin, isn't that right, Jimma?" one of then men yelled, his voice high and excited. There was a warm laugh as a small crowd of Spirans cheered for the Kilika Beasts, as they modestly waved. A few did look depressed, a bit sick maybe.

"Yes, Bobba! They're going to be pulling out all the stops to try and bring back the cup this year!" Jimma replied, his voice bubbling as well. I grinned as I envisioned Wakka carrying the Crystal Cup back to Besaid after Yuna's pilgrimage.

"Exciting, isn't it folks? Our next team off the ramp is...Well, well, well! If it isn't the Besaid Aurochs! They're a living, breathing statistical _impossibility_! I've _never_ seen a team _this _bad! _Thaaaaaaat's_ right! In _twenty-three _years they've never made it past the first round! Only a few _die-hard _fans are in the audience today!" The two laughed at that, and I heard one solitary cheer.

Then, I heard Yuna, screaming and yelling at the top of her voice. I grinned at her, and cheered too, as she giggled and went quiet again beside Lulu. The crowd was done booing us, at long last, and Jimma and Bobba were talking again.

"Best of luck to them and a safe journey back to Besaid." Wakka shuffled his feet, embarrassedly.

As we came down off the gangway, Bobba and Jimma were talking at 100 miles per hour, trying to get all the facts about the different teams fired in our direction quickly enough. Suddenly though, the crowd were no longer focused on what Bobba and Jimma were saying and were whispering excitedly amongst each other, craning their necks to see something I couldn't, pointing and declaring things loudly. I ignored this, and listened as the commentators began whooping and cheering, about some team in particular.

"Here they are, folks! Our very own _Lucccccca_ Goers! They've got _power_! They've got _speed! _They've got _teamwork_! They're an _all-around first-class team_! And they're back home in _Luca_!" People erupted into waves with their hands, and the cheering made quite a few of the balloons burst. I covered my ears with my hands, as Wakka sighed heavily, and glanced at the green and yellow clad team that was making their way off a different boat. They all had cocky expressions on their faces, and I rolled my eyes, but then remembered, that that was probably how we Zanarkand Abes had carried ourselves.

"Without a doubt, they are the favourite this year, Bobba. And after the way they dominated last year, it'd take a miracle for them to lose today."

"You can say that again, Jimma. Look at the crowd, folks! Look at the crowd! Looks like all of Luca has turned out to cheer the Goers on! _They_ know, _I_ know, and _you_ know, folks! The Luca Goers are _number one_!"

The crowd burst into wild roars and cheers, and I kicked a crate in my anger. This was getting on my nerves, increasingly.

"It's like this every year, ya? Don't let it bother you," Wakka told me, his face sympathetic. The Besaid Aurochs, all of whom were usually smiling, were looking thoroughly down-hearted and Letty's shoulders were slumped considerably. I frowned and decided we were NEVER going to win if they were all this upset when they got into the sphere pool. I could make them confident again, because if it was one thing I'd learnt in all my years Blitzing, is that one game could make all the difference. I glanced over at Yuna, who was watching me with questioning eyes, one brow raised. I grinned at her, flashing my straight, shiny white teeth, and she smiled back.

"_What are you doing?" _she mouthed. I shrugged, and clambered up onto on of the stacks of crates alongside the docks, cupped my hands around my lips and began to yell at the top of my voice. The crowd's cheers faded, and everyone was staring at me. Too late to turn back now, I thought.

"Stop right there, Goers! You guys are smilin' now, but not for long! 'Cause this year, us Aurochs are taking the cup!" Lulu was at my side in an instant though, tugging at the side of my shorts, steam practically pouring out her ears.

"_What _in Yevon's name are you doing up there, Tidus?" she shot at me. I smiled, happily leaping off the crate, and slapping a high five to Datto. Letty looked pleased again.

"Hey, Lu, we sure stood out though," he winked at her, and Lulu raised a thin black brow. I smirked at that. Datto nodded.

"Yeah, we were on the sphere!" he said, his voice high in excitement. Suddenly, the crowds around us, cheered even louder, everyone screaming, pushing and shoving towards another dock, lifting children up, laughing, joking, yelling.

"Maester Mika is here!"

"Already?!"

"The Number Three dock!"

I was instantly confused. Maester… Mika? What sort of a name was that?

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked Wakka, who gasped, and began bounding towards Dock Three, one hand holding Yuna's, who was staying silent the whole time, the other shoving me through the crowds, like some sort of human steamroller. Yuna tapped my arm, catching my attention, as Wakka continued shoving.

"Maester Mika has arrived, Tidus!" her eyes were glowing, and her smile seemed to dazzle those around us. Kimahri was thundering along behind her, watching the staring people. I shrugged at Wakka.

"Mika? Maester…?"

Wakka opened his mouth to speak, but Lulu cut across him. I noticed she too was looking excited at the prospect of this man being here.

"Maester Mika is the leader of all the peoples of Spira. He's come all the way from Bevelle. The tournament is being held to honour his fifty years as Maester." I gaped. Fifty years leading a bunch of guys?! The President of Zanarkand had last 8 months, tops. It was easier said than done running a city, let alone the whole of Spira.

"Whoa…That's really...old, shouldn't he be, like… uh, retired by now?" Wakka slapped me around the back of the neck at that, frowning crossly at me. He gave me one final push, and placed his hands on hips, scolding face on.

"Hey! Now, you mind your mouth! Let's ah, go see him ya? To… help you learn." He pointed up onto a huge boat, elegantly crafted, far more luxurious than our boat. People were gaping at it, eyes wide in anticipation of this Maester Mika who would climb off the boat.

People began to make their way off the boat, all heavily armoured in shiny metal, far different and better crafted than the Al Bhed crudely made plates of armour. They carried huge swords, far bigger than mine, golden hilts glimmering in the shining sunlight of Luca. They were walking slowly, and my attention span isn't exactly gigantic, so I glanced at Yuna who was staring full on at the boat, mouth slightly agape, hands clasped together by her heart. She sure looked excited. Suddenly, worried whispers surrounded us, and I glanced back up at the boat, to the see the strangest man EVER walking down the gangway.

"That's a _Guado_, isn't it?"

"Who could it be?"

I too was gaping now as I watched the strange young man make his way towards us, a crooked smile on his smooth face. His eyes were cold, icy blue, sharp and metallic, almost grey. He was tall, far taller than Wakka, and stretching up beyond even Kimahri, who, I noticed was baring his teeth at the mysterious man.

The man was dressed in huge billowing robes, similar to the ones I'd seen on the statue of Lord Braska in Besaid temple. He had red tattoos all the way down his exposed chest, twisting and coiling like angry snakes. His hair was shocking blue in colour, and seemed to be of a different texture to the rest of us standing watching him, almost… solidified. He also had two huge… antlers I think would be the right word, protruding from his forehead, coming down in curved spikes. His hands were long and pale, his fingers spindly, inhumanely stretched. His nails were jagged and lengthy and shivers ran up and down my spine when he glanced at me for some weird reason. I didn't have time to ponder this, as Wakka hit me round the head again.

"You too! Bow your head!" he hissed. I did as I was told, but only for a moment, going back to watch the strange man whilst everyone else was still bowing. When they had finished, another man came off the boat.

He looked like he should have been dead and buried already, way too old to be natural. His hair, what was left anyways, was wispy and snow white, his face creased and wrinkled like leather. He wore similar robes to the… 'Guado' was it? He was hunched, and he walked in little steps, like he would snap in two if the wind blew too hard. Everyone gasped and bowed again, all smiling and whispering excitedly. Wakka tugged at me, but I was too busy staring at these this motley crew. The Guado bowed his head at the ancient man as well, being gracious and polite, unlike me.

"People of Spira, I thank you for your generous welcome. Rise, Maester Seymour. And all of you as well. I present to you...the son of Maester Jyscal Guado, who departed for the Farplane a fortnight past. As some of you already know, he has been officially ordained a Maester of Yevon."

There were a few gasps and murmurs of understanding. There were many things I didn't get about that sentence, but I focused on Seymour instead of asking questions. He bowed to the crowds beyond us, and the smiled at the first few rows where we stood.

"I am Seymour Guado. I am honoured to receive the title of Maester. In life, my father Jyscal worked to foster friendship between man and Guado. I vow to carry on his legacy, and to fulfil my duties as Maester to the best of my abilities." He blessed himself, and the people watching mimicked his actions, whispered continuously.

"Tidus! Bow your head!" Wakka hissed angrily at me. I ignored him, and kept staring at Seymour. There was… something about this guy that just didn't… feel right.

His gaze locked with mine, and in the instant that my electric blue eyes found his pale, icy ones, I knew I was right about something being seriously wrong with this Guado person. A tiny smile twisted it's way onto his face, mocking me perhaps, and his eyes were tainted with something far darker than what lay on the surface. Something… seemed to be lurking beneath that pristine surface, but what I couldn't put my finger on.

I felt Yuna raise her head beside me, and in turn watch the Maester. His eyes snapped from me to her, and I watched as they seemed to become hungrier. He smirked at her, everything about him screaming 'SLEEZE!'

Yuna blushed and fumbled, looking away embarrassedly, seemingly upset over his attention. I felt something growl within me, some beast that wanted to tear Seymour into little icky pieces. How dare he make her feel insecure? How dare he just eye her up like that, when she was a respected member of the people of Spira? I had a good mind to yell "PERVE!" at the top of my voice, but frankly, I think Lulu would have a problem, so I just nudged Yuna gently. Her head instantly propped up, and I bit my lip.

"You okay?" I asked her quietly. She did her fake Yuna smile, nodding and bowing, and I inwardly swore. Why wouldn't she just tell me the truth?

* * *

I made my way into the Auroch's locker room, watching as my team-mates began to become nervous, Letty repeatedly running his hands through his hair, Datto pacing, pacing, pacing. I threw my towel over my shoulder, and leant up against the wall, noticing Lulu close by me in the corner.

"You alright Lu?" I asked. She seemed to look like she was coming out of a trance at that moment, glancing up at me, her bloody red gaze cold and cutting.

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" she asked curtly. I shrugged, and wandered away from her, not wanting to be the butt of any more of her cold remarks. Ever since Lulu and Wakka's discussion on the boat, she was becoming increasingly lost within herself, thinking something over deeply, again and again in her mind.

Wakka marched in at that moment, grinning broadly.

"Heh-heh! We're playin' the Al Bhed Psyches first. If we win, we're in the finals!" Wow! Finally some luck for this unfortunate team. They got seeded, meaning if they beat the first team, they were automatically in the finals! Wakka started jabbering away, going over tactics and methods. Seeing as the Al Bhed were very good at swimming and holding their breath, we were going to have to give our all to beat them. Suddenly, the door was flung open, and Yuna rushed in, pretty face flushed, huge, beaming REAL Yuna smile painted on her face.

"There you are!" she yelped, running to me and grasping my hand, tugging me to the door. My heart skipped a beat at her touch, like some sort of electric shock.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I demanded, as she did her best to try a tow me to the door.

"Someone says they saw Sir Auron in a cafe!" My eyes immediately widened.

"Au-Auron?!"

"Yes, Sir Auron! _Come on _Tidus! Let's go find him!" she gave one final hearty tug before I gave in and ran with her to the door. I heard Wakka yelling in the background.

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! The game starts like real soon! C-Come back quick, ya?"

"I'll be back!" I yelled to him, promising. Yuna was running along, pulling my hand. She stopped suddenly, huffing and puffing, mismatching eyes bright.

"Maybe now we can find Sir Jecht!" I frowned.

"How?" Yuna raised a brow, smiling broadly.

"Sir Auron was also my father's Guardian. So, he might know where Sir Jecht is! Let's go _now_!" she insisted. I nodded, and we walked out into the blinding sunlight of Luca's grand square in the centre of the town. There were people EVERYWHERE, hardly a gap in the raging mass for me and Yuna to squeeze through. She let go of my hand, and tried to push her way through the swarm, but it took three seconds for her to get swept away with the tide of people. I lunged after her, grasped her hand, and pulled her back towards me, fighting my way through the crowds until we reached a grand stone bridge.

"I hope we don't get separated," Yuna sounded worried, so I thought over some options we had. And idea sprang into my head.

"Hey Yuna!" I jammed my first two fingers into my mouth, and whistled loudly. People around us jumped, and began staring at me with worried looks. Yuna flinched away, eyes wide.

"What was _that_?" she asked, her voice incredulous. I couldn't help but laugh at her mystified expression, mismatched eyes wide with wonder.

"In Zanarkand, we do it to cheer on blitz players," I told her, sticking my fingers back in my mouth and blowing hard. A sharp whistle emitted again, and she smiled widely, properly. "You try! Okay, just put your fingers in your mouth like this," I directed, my speech becoming garbled as I tried to direct her, with two fingers still in my mouth. She giggled softly, before placing two fingers into her own mouth, cautiously.

"Like… this?" she asked, laughing slightly as her speech too became disjointed. I shook my head. She had the angle wrong.

"Nah uh. Like _this_," I demonstrated again, and she did as I showed her. Then, she blew as hard as she could. No sound came out. I whistled again, but it was cut off, as I was laughing so hard at Yuna's face, contorted into such concentration. I doubled over laughing at her, and she grinned at her own failure.

"I can't do it!" she insisted, her voice shaky with a little laughter of her own. I sobered up, coming closer to her, and tugging her hand from her mouth.

"Practice," I told her. She nodded, smiling softly, trying again. Still nothing. I remembered the original purpose of my whistling lesson. She tilted her head to the one side, and once more I was hit by her stunning features. I smiled gently back at her and she blushed scarlet, averting her gaze, but still smiling all the time.

"Hey," I grasped her attention, and I locked my aqua blue gaze with her unequal eyes. They were the prettiest eyes I've ever seen.

"Use that if we _ever_ get separated," I told her. Little did I know, these words would haunt the both of us for a long time after I spoke them. But they meant too much to remain unsaid.

"I'll come running."

* * *

**Hello everyone! Time for my first proper author's note of this story. I'd firstly like to thank everyone for their kind reviews, critique and praise. Every single review I get means something to me, however it would mean even more if you could tell me what you enjoyed abotu a certain chapter. I'll do my best to get back to you the same day you review, but if not that day the next. If you take the time to reveiw, I'll take the time to reply. So thank you very much concerning that aspect of my story.**

**I'd also like to say thank you for your approval on the little sentences, or actions I have inserted to make the story more real, or endearing. I enjoyed thinking them up, and I'm glad you guys find them okay. **

**Okay, onto apologies. I'm very sorry I didn't update this chapter when I was meant to, but I hadn't finished writing it until this morning, as I've been distracted all week by the anime and manga of Fruits Basket. I've never really liked anime or manga, but this one was fantastic! If you haven't already, I'd highly recommend reading or watching it. And if you like it, check out my oneshot, 'Blushing'. Thanks!**

**You probably won't get an update on this story for another week or so, as I'm going to try writing quite a few chapters, and having them ready to just post whenever I feel the need, you know? I'm also trying to finish my Sly Cooper story 'Just Like Me' and my serious fic for FictionPress. My Twilight fics will probably never be finished, as Twilight is boring me now. **

**Well, thank you very much for reading and reviewing this story, and managing not to fall asleep throughout this exceedingly long note. Thanks once again you guys!**

**_xx Caitlin_**

* * *


	9. The Game

****

The Game.

_**Tidus**_

We were standing in the middle of the town of Luca. I'd heard people calling it the 'City of Luca', but this place was no where near large enough to be a city. The sun was shining brightly, as it so often did in Spira, but I was too preoccupied at the moment to think about how warm it was, and the perspiration that was forming at my hairline. There were hundreds of people swarming all around us, children being towed along by adults, young people, lovers, walking along hand in hand. Balloons filled the air, along with merry music, played with strange and foreign instruments that I didn't bother to try and understand. I should have been trying, and I should have been paying more attention to what was going on around me, but as hard as I tried I couldn't tear my eyes away from her for long enough.

Her face was even breathtakingly lovely when she was struggling to make noise come from her first two fingers, and laughing at herself at the same time. She tugged them out of her mouth, and took note of what I had just said.

"I guess we should just stick together then… until you can do it."

Her smile made me shiver a little.

"Yes sir!" she announced, her smile small, her voice quiet but forceful. She slipped her way in beside my arm, hand brushing mine ever so slightly. She blushed rosy at that, so I grinned, and my daring shot through the roof as I entwined her hand with mine. She blushed much harder then, turning a magenta shade before biting her lip, and continuing to walk through the crowd. She didn't pull her hand away like I thought she would, however. I must have been grinning like a fool when she glanced back at me, because she too smiled and cocked her head to one side. I don't think she noticed people were bowing to her all around us, blessing themselves and pointing at her for their children. Her twinkling eyes were focused on me.

"Why are you grinning?" she asked me, voice playful and eternally soft. I shrugged and walked closer beside her.

"This makes me very happy Yuna. Walking around with you. It makes me feel important that I should get to walk with someone as special as you. I mean look-" I pointed at one gaping pair of boys, and gritted my teeth, as I could practically see their thoughts of Yuna in their eyes. Snapping my fingers angrily at them, they were aroused from their more than likely disgusting thoughts.

"Hey! Take a picture, it'll last longer!" I snapped at them. They exchanged knowing glances, and smirked, before scurrying off towards the stadium. I turned back to Yuna, who was watching me with huge eyes, one hand whispering along the side of her chin, almost covering her mouth, but not quite. Her smile was small and meaningful, my favourite kind of Yuna smile.

"…Really Tidus?"

"Hm?"

She paused before continuing, still clutching my hand tightly, and coming a little closer.

"You think I am… special?" she barely spoke the words, still they almost made me drop dead at the impossibility she was saying them. Of course she was special! The people of Spira adored her and I… I thought she was… amazing.

"Of course I do! You're an amazing Summoner, not many people could do what you do."

I swear I saw Yuna's heart fall from her throat. The shining lights in her eyes flickered until they had gone out, and her shoulders slumped.

"Thank you, Tidus…" she mumbled, voice sad and polite. I panicked. What had I said?! I'd told her she was great Summoner, wasn't that what she wanted to hear? Did I think she was special in… another way??

Well, of course I did. She was mind numbingly beautiful, graceful, elegant, magnificent, heart-breaking… when she danced… Using any form of adjective would be a disgrace towards that dance, considering how majestic and wonderful it was. And… how else was she special? Well, I was sure that if I had been the one being consumed by pain and fear from dead people's souls, I would have broken down, weeping and never been able to do it again. But Yuna got on with it, accepting that that was part of being a Summoner, and carrying on with her duties no matter what they meant or what they did to her. Another thing… she was so respectful to everyone, even if they were unspeakably rude to her… *cough* Dona *cough*. Always praying and saying 'please' and 'thank-you.'

… But I couldn't say I thought how special she was… that would be crossing the line. I looked hard at her, and felt her fingers loosen on my hand.

"You think I'm a good Summoner…" she breathed, turning and beginning to walk away, her previous soaring spirits dropped to ground level. I decided to just shut my mouth after that, until we walked for a good ten minutes in silence, and it was just bugging me.

"Hey… this is a pretty big town after all," I mused, looking around at the buildings. Yuna nodded thoughtfully, and turned back round to me, seeming to have totally forgot a few minutes back. I was glad.

"It's the second biggest city in Spira."

"Oh. I thought everywhere was a village like Besaid or Kilika-"

"No. Places don't usually get bigger than that, because when lots of people gather in one place…" Yuna met my eyes for the first time in our last exchange and I saw the sadness she'd been trying to hide spill. I came close to her again.

"Sin?" I asked. She nodded, one strong bop of her head. I bit my lip and poked her arm. She raised her brows at that, and surveyed me.

"Hey… Yuna? I don't just think you're special because you're a Summoner. I mean, I do think you're special because of that, but there are other reasons, and some of them seem a little shallow, like you're really, _really _pretty, but the others are good, like I really admire your courage and faith in yourself, and you don't give up, and won't let anyone beat you around, and you're really polite…" I trailed off, realising how much of an idiot I sounded. Yuna's eyes were shining again.

"Thank you, Tidus…" she sounded the happiest she ever had when she said those words. I blushed and shrugged.

"D-Don't mention it," I told her, grinning weakly. I coughed and went back to our original conversation. "So… if Sin's always where big groups of people are, is Luca safe?" Yuna nodded, smiling broadly.

"It's not any different, but the stadium is here. The Crusaders fight to protect it with all their strength." I glanced around where she was sweeping her arm, and immediately saw the men dressed in green and brown, armour clad, holding black swords and spears, looking out for danger at all times.

"They protect the stadium?!" I remembered the Crusaders back in Besaid, Luzzu and… Gatta. They had said they defended people from Sin, not a stadium. Yuna smiled nodding.

"I guess it sounds kind of silly. But, Blitzball's really the only entertainment that we have. Spira's a little short on fun these days," she told me, walking forwards a little more, saying sorry whenever she budged past someone. I took her hand again and felt her shiver. I laughed at her previous statement.

"Whoa. Talk about pressure!"

"That's right! Is Zanarkand like this, too?" I vaguely noticed Kimahri hovering a little way away from us, and then turned on the spot, looking at all the buildings. I shrugged.

"Kind of. Well… Zanarkand's bigger, and there are more buildings. There's a gigantic… bridge that leads from the tops of the buildings all over the city, and they all lead to the stadium, because it's built on the highest point in the City… Zanarkand's kind of like Besaid forest, I guess."

"How so?" Yuna giggled. I pouted, thinking this over.

"Well… you know how there's the emergent level, canopy, lower canopy and shrub layer?"

Yuna nodded.

"We learnt that in classes in the temple when I was small." I nodded.

"Well, middle class people live in the canopy of the city, just below the rich and famous people in the emergent level. That's were all the penthouses and richest hotels and restaurants are. Then, the middle class live on the level below us, and they have their own bridges connecting their buildings together, which are basically our buildings, just the lower floors. Then, you've got the working class people, who have it pretty tough. The live in the lower canopy. One time, I had to go down there and give these kids a talk on how great Blitz was and why they should play. It was bad, but not as bad as the… shrub layer. Basically, the ground in Zanarkand is all slums. Pest infested hovels in the ground, where the poorest people live and thrive. The drug dealers and illegal doctors and stuff hide down there, and the police never chase them. They considered the shrub layer to be too dangerous.

I've… never honestly been that far down. But I hear it's really bad."

I stopped speaking, and watched Yuna's face. Her mouth was agape, and her chest was heaving as she struggled to absorb this information.

"So… I am correct in saying that the buildings in Zanarkand are _so tall_… there's enough room for four layers of different classes of people, and bridges that have to lead from building to building?" I nodded.

"Yup. They're gigantic, and all cramped together." Yuna's eyes shone.

"Wow… They must be soo huge! Don't you ever get dizzy?"

I burst out laughing at that statement, clutching my stomach as I laughed.

"No! I told you, I hardly ever go below the emergent. Maybe the canopy."

She nodded and thought this over a little more. Then, she took a huge breath, reaching forth and grasping my hand. Her face was scarlet as she grinned and pulled me toward the Café _Pmedw_.

"Come on, let's go find Sir Auron!"

* * *

The café was littered with tourists, people here to see the game, and others with very dark glasses on, whom I thought… perhaps… could be Al Bhed. They all had blonde hair, and were staring at Yuna intently, so I pushed myself up beside her, watching them with cautious eyes. Yuna blushed a little as I did this, and looked around, shaking her head sadly, as the confirmation I had already made sunk in.

"Sir Auron isn't here…"" she murmured. I shook my head, patting her shoulder sympathetically. All my hopes of finding Auron, some answers, a way home… they'd all just flown out the window, and once again, I was left hopeless, facing the fact that Lulu was probably going to convince Wakka that I shouldn't be a Guardian and just stay in Luca. Evening seeing Auron might have raised my spirit's a little, made this whole crazy faerie story easier to accept.

Suddenly, me and Yuna were interrupted by loud thumps from the other side of the café, and I saw two _huge _versions of Kimahri standing, pushing him fiercely with there gigantic clawed fists. If I had thought Kimahri was huge, these guys proved me wrong. I heard Yuna gasp.

"Ronso…"

"What's-?" I began to speak, but the booming noise of one of the Ronso drowned mien out. I turned my attention from Yuna's worried figure to Kimahri's relatively calm one, considering the situation.

"Why not talk, Kimahri? Not see Yenke for ten years! Say something! Kimahri forget Yenke? Forget Biran?" The largest one of the two was the one speaking, his voice like gravel being crunched. I shuddered, and stepped closer to Kimahri, intrigues by this. Kimahri knew these freaks? Yenke and Biran? They were obviously the same species, so maybe they knew each other from back wherever they came from?

"Leave Kimahri, Yenke. Kimahri is small Ronso. Kimahri so small can't see Yenke and Biran's faces," the other Ronso said, mocking Kimahri. Okay, he was obviously smaller than the two of them, but in no way was Kimahri a midget! And no way did he deserve to be spoken to like that!

"Kimahri forget Ronso friends? We taught you much at time of horn-moult! Biran taught Kimahri to be strong Ronso."

"Maybe taught too much."

Uh, why was Kimahri taking this crap? These guys didn't know who they were messing with, I'd seen Kimahri fight, and when he got into a proper brawl, he was no longer a civilized protector of Yuna, but he was a wild animal, back to what he had been born as.

"Take 'em on!" I yelled at Kimahri, who rolled his eyes at me, and went back to standing still as a grand statue in front of the gigantic Ronso. I edged closer again, as Kimahri took a deep breath and leaping upon Biran, the smaller Ronso who crumpled beneath Kimahri's well aimed dive.

"Hey, hey, hey! Take it outside, the tournament's starting, you hear!" the manager yelled at the two. I blanched.

"The game!" I yelped. Damn it! I'd promised Wakka I'd be back to help them beat the Al Bhed into the ground. The sphere screen lit up, and Maester Mika appeared, smiling and waving at the people who were below. His official High Priest of Yevon box loomed high above anyone else's, and he had a perfect view of the sphere pool, and the entire crowd, whom he was addressing.

"Today, on this glorious day, players from all over Spira have assembled here... to participate in this great contest of bravery, skill, and strength. All of these fine teams, equally renowned, deserve to win the cup today. Such is the nature of this contest. Let us, the spectators, play our role accordingly: Let us sing to the glory of the winners, and applaud equally the valour of the defeated."

"Contestants, may Yevon be with you."

There was a gigantic cheer from all throughout the stadium, and I watched Maester Seymour, who was sitting in a box slightly below Mika clap and bow, making the crown mimic his actions. Yuck, I instantly thought. He still looks like a dirty sleaze. Thinking of how sleazy he was, made me think of the disgusting look he'd given Yuna earlier, and then instead of wasting any more time cheering battling Ronso on, I decided to get back to Wakka before he had heart failure over my not being there. I turned away from where Kimahri had pulled himself off of Biran, and was straightening his mane, to where Yuna-- should have been.

"Yuna? Yuna?!" I shouted, panic flooding through my veins. I saw red, and my head began to spin in fright, as I saw that Yuna was gone- and so were the people I had suspected where Al Bhed. "Kimahri, Yuna's gone!" I turned and cried at him.

He ran to my side, swooped his head in one long go, scanning the crowds who were packed into the little café, and seeing no Yuna, grasped my shoulder, and shoved me towards the door. I didn't need to be told twice. Urgency was the only thing I felt, as I tore out of the café and had to skid to stop straight in front of a heated Lulu.

"Where have you been?!" she demanded. I think if she could she would breathe fire. She shook her head hurriedly. "Never mind. Yuna's been kidnapped by the Al Bhed Psyches! In return for the Aurochs losing, they won't hurt her," Lulu's voice was the most anxious I'd ever heard it, and my head was spinning so hard, it took a moment to grasp what she had just said.

"… They kidnapped High Summoner Braska's daughter, because they want to win a stupid Blitz tournament?" Something about that didn't float right with me, but every second that we stood pondering why the Al Bhed had _really_ kidnapped Yuna, she could be in distress, or pain, or the Al Bhed could be doing horrible things to her…

"Never mind. Let's go!" Lulu nodded, walking alongside Kimahri at a hurried pace, holding the ends of her heavy black dress up.

"If they're only Blitzball players, I doubt they'd do anything drastic. But we shouldn't take chances. Let's go get her." Kimahri grunted in agreement, and me and Lulu had to jog to keep up with his massive strides. I knew that I should have gone to play with Wakka, but rescuing Yuna held some special place within me, like if I could just do this one thing to prove myself, then I could be a _proper_ Guardian.

We raced through the thriving streets, taking back alleys where the crowd was so congested we couldn't move, and having to go round the long way towards Dock 2 where the Al Bhed ship, as they had purposefully blown up a machine, causing the Yevonites to panic and start destroying it as quick as they could.

We turned the corner to go towards the docks, only to be jumped by rusted and damaged little robots, that were attacking madly, not taking aim or concentrating, merely trying to destroy us. I know I should have been focusing on destroying them, but my curiosity was attacking and I had to ask.

"What in the hell of it are they?" Lulu dropped her moogle on the ground, and the little doll hopped up, fluttering a little on it's heavily battered wings.

"Ancient machina, salvaged by the Al Bhed," she told me, casting Thunder at the machina. It sizzled and popped menacingly, before blowing up entirely. Lulu smirked. "They're very vulnerable to lightning." I remembered Rikku talking about the machina that we'd salvaged on her ship- … It hurt more than I thought it would to think about Rikku. Sin had probably murdered her when it hit her ship, and her body was probably lying somewhere in the sea. The Al Bhed clearly weren't all that different from the Yevonites, no matter how much their image as bloodthirsty monsters was portrayed. We hurried on, Lulu only having to use her Black Magic once or twice again, as the machina was far easier to destroy than it looked.

I could here a sphere somewhere, Bobba and Jimma yelling at the tops of their lungs, trying to be heard above the crowd.

"The Aurochs are keeping the score tied with some excellent defence, folks!"

"Ow! He'll feel that one in the morning!"

"Ah! But the referee doesn't call the foul! Wakka's taking a real beating out there."

I swore inwardly, praying that Wakka was alright. Glancing over at Lulu, I saw how much paler she seemed.

"We have to hurry," she muttered hoarsely, urging me up onto the deck of a salvage ship, extremely like the one I'd spent my first few days in Spira on. On deck, in front of the door leading down into the cabin, there was a huge machina, that when I came within kicking distance of it, gurgled and screeched, hauling itself up and preparing for battle. Lulu and Kimahri joined me on the deck.

Lulu frowned heavily.

"Anti-magic shield…" she muttered.

"What the hell is that?" I shot at her. She cast Thundara, her moogle suddenly dropping dead, lifeless and limp. I gasped. "What happened?"

"I can't use magic on it- the Al Bhed salvaged an ancient magic shield- I haven't seen one in such good condition before," Lulu told me, angrily picking up her moogle and stowing it away, but tucking one of it's arms into her garter. Kimahri took one huge swipe at it with his spear, and I tried to help by using my sword, but it barely scratched the thing. I spotted a crane nearby, and ran to it, hammering it with my sword, until it swung round, slamming into the machina, and dragging it off the ship. Lulu smiled.

"Good work, Tidus," she told me, rare praise being bestowed on me. Pity I could hardly hear her, as my only motive at this point was to save Yuna. I ran to the door that led to the cabin- but Yuna had already pushed the door open, and was standing before me… smiling.

It was like she was shining.

"Yuna!" I cried out, forgetting where I was, and who I was with for a moment, and clasping her in a giant bear hug. I grasped her shoulders, hugging her close, and almost went into a trance when her hypnotising strawberry and lime scent hit me full on. She giggled nervously, and tapped my back hastily.

"H-Hello, Tidus," she whispered, smile so huge it was barely fitting her small face.

"Yuna!" Lulu called, running up and tearing me off her little sister. She placed both of her hands on either side of Yuna's face, kissing her forehead, and leaving a pink purple stain there. Yuna giggled, as Lulu smudged it with her thumb.

"I hope you hurt them. That Black Magic I've been teaching you helped?" Yuna grinned mischievously.

"A little."

I am being honest when I say I have never been so relieved in my entire life. That whole time we were wasting, fighting machina, I thought Yuna could be seriously hurt, or traumatized, or terrified- but here she was, calm and collected, smiling as Lulu congratulated her for her bravery. Kimahri had walked up to her, and without a second's hesitation, clamped Yuna in his arms, in a bone breaking hug. Yuna, the little porcelain doll that she was, should have snapped in two, but instead, she burrowed her face into Kimahri's warm, blue, furry chest and stretched her arms out as wide as they would go, in an attempt to hug him back.

I took this opportunity to look around the salvage ship. It was almost exactly the same as Rikku's, so I made my way towards the cabin, to see if I could spot her, or her freaky brother.

"Where are you going?" Lulu asked, brows furrowed.

"There were these Al Bhed that saved my life when I first came to Spira. They took me on their ship, even gave me food. I was kinda hoping this was the same ship. But it's not. I wonder if they're all gone." It pained me to think that, so I leaned against the railing for support. Yuna came and stood next to me, squinting at my face in the fierce sunlight.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice soft and compassionate. I sighed and turned to look at her concerned face.

"Sin came up near us. I made it out okay, but I don't know what happened to their ship." Yuna nodded, tilting her head to one side, and tucking a strand of mahogany behind her ear, her colourful braid billowing in the breeze.

"Tidus? Was there anyone called… Cid on that ship?" I frowned, trying to remember. I'd really only known Rikku's name, I hadn't really cared about what the other Al Bhed were called. I shrugged, and Yuna's shoulders slumped, her face defeated. I tried to brighten her spirits.

"Well… maybe! I… don't know. They were all speaking Al Bhed."

"I see," she murmured, gazing out at the seawater beneath us.

"Who's Cid?"

"He's my uncle, but I've never actually met him."

Time seemed to stop. Her… uncle? Yuna had an uncle who was an Al Bhed? Of course! That's why she had one green eye! I'd thought that maybe some Yevonites could be born with a green eye, you know, as like one of those genetic disorders or whatever. But… the Al Bhed eyes… They hypnotised. When it was dark, it seemed that their eyes were glowing, and the spiral of a pupil that they had, seemed to be going round and round in circles, making you dizzy. Yuna turned her head to gaze at me, closing her clear blue eye, leaving only her emerald one. I remembered Rikku winking at me, and all of a sudden, I could see her standing there at the railings with me. Come to think of it… Yuna and Rikku did look… a lot alike, besides the green eyes. But maybe all Al Bhed features were kind of like that. Cute button nose… et cetera.

"So that means you're Al Bhed too, Yuna?" Yuna smiled, opening her other eye and nodding.

"On my mother's side, yes. Cid is my mother's brother. He became distant after my mother married. But she told me to seek him out if I ever needed help." I nodded thoughtfully. No wonder Yuna was worried that Cid had been on that boat. If Sin had killed him, then that was the last attachment with her mother Yuna had… gone.

"Don't tell Wakka about Yuna's lineage. The thing about Wakka--he never had much love for the Al Bhed," Lulu's voice was harsh.

What, Wakka didn't notice Yuna had one Al Bhed eye, and some Al Bhed features? Or maybe… he was just dense like me, and thought maybe it was some genetic disorder. Or maybe her thought both Yuna's eyes were blue, and one was just slightly greener or something… but you'd have to be a real idiot not to notice- hold on a sec- WAKKA!!

"I gotta tell-I mean the game!" I yelped. Lulu gasped and nodded her head, before turning and shooting a large orb of Thundara into the sky. I ran to the controls, and turned the boat as quick as I could. I had to get back!

* * *

"Thirty seconds left! The Aurochs are launching an all-out offensive!"

"A long pass from Letty!"

"It goes through!"

"Did ya see that Bobba?! Oh...oh!"

"He shoots!"

"_Goooooallll!" _

_"Unbelievable_! The Aurochs win the match 3-2!"

* * *

I saw it on a sphere.

"We won!" I yelled. Yuna clapped and cheered, and a picture of Wakka laying face down in the water appeared. I knew he was just heavily fatigued, and it looked like one of those Al Bhed had bruised his head, but apart from that he looked fine to me! I was totally flabbergasted, ecstatic, however.

"We're in the finals!" I yelled at the top of my voice. Yuna laughed loudly, and clapped her hands together. I grabbed them, and pulled her into my arms, twirling her round, my suddenly elated attitude causing me to totally loose my place, and start dancing around madly with Yuna. She giggled, and twirled back into my hold, and we swept around, cheering and laughing at the tops of our voices.

"We won! We won! We won!" Yuna sang, out of breath. We stopped twirling, when we saw Lulu's glare of contempt at the sphere. Wakka had collapsed in the pool, and Datto and Letty were hauling him out.

"Not the most graceful win. If it was Chappu, he'd still be standing," she said coldly, and I practically felt the temperature drop.

My happiness was wiped away in one huge sweep, anger and frustration replacing it. Why the hell did Lulu have to be such a- such a- …cow? There. Replaced my original word with a cleaner one for all the kiddies. All she did was make Wakka out to be a fool. An idiot. He'd just led the Besaid Aurochs to victory for the first time in history, for Yevon's sake! And she was complaining that he wasn't like Chappu? Hadn't she been the one who said he couldn't replace Chappu? Wasn't it her that continually sniped at him for trying to impress her by being like Chappu? He was Wakka- that was all there was to it.

"Hey, aren't you being just a little unfair? He did it didn't he?" my voice was sharp, as I squared up to Lulu. She raised a brow, and looked down her nose at me, red eyes seeming to glow. I immediately wished I'd just left it.

"Excuse me?" Lulu's voice was a deadly whisper. I vaguely noticed Yuna edging to Lulu, preparing to hold her back from striking me with lightning or something. Kimahri didn't move from behind me, and it felt like he was… protecting _me_.

"Lulu why the hell are you so mean to him, constantly?!" I snapped. Lulu looked taken aback.

"I am not constantly mean to him, and if I were you, I would watch where I dug my heels in. I'm not known for mercy," she snarled. I smirked at that, contorting my face into the greatest look of disgust I could. Attempting to show Lulu how she looked at Wakka sometimes.

"Yeah, well, I'm not known to just sit on the sidelines when my friend's getting constantly snubbed by some girl. Some girl, who he just so happens to worship!"

That shocked her. Lulu's mouth shut, and whatever insult she had prepared to toss at me was cut off, as she pressed a hand to her rising and falling chest. Her long, dark nails were a drastic contrast to her creamy white skin.

"What did you just say?" she breathed.

"Oh, come on Lulu. A blind man, on a chocobo, on a dark stormy night could see… Wakka… he- _he__loves you_," I stressed, lowering my voice and coming closer to Lulu. Her eyes became lost, and for the first time ever, I saw Lulu look frightened.

When we were battling fiends, or Sin spawn, she always kept her cool- never letting her ice cold exterior melt to reveal any fear she may or may not have felt.

Now, she looked like some scared child, desperate to go back to the simple life she led before.

"Wakka is not Chappu. And they way you're treating him now, it's not like he's ever going to take his pl-"

"You don't want to finish that sentence," Lulu's voice was sharp, but still faraway. She turned, and began the descent of the great stone steps that led up to the stadium. Yuna smiled brightly at me, mouthing "Well Done!"

I followed, without hesitation.

* * *

Wakka was lying weakly on a bench when we entered the room. Jessu chucked a ball at my head.

"Miss me?" I grinned cheekily throwing the ball back.

"We're playing the Goers now!" Lessu muttered, worriedly.

"We'll wipe the floor with 'em. They'll run home crying to their mamas by the time we're done, trust me," I said, confidently, striding over to Wakka. He seemed to relax considerably on seeing me and Yuna.

"Yuna! How could you let yourself be kidnapped by Al Bhed?" he asked her, his voice hoarse. She bowed in apology, eyes huge with sorrow. I punched his arm lightly.

"Hey, let it go. Alright?" I murmured. He met my eyes for a moment, puzzled, it seemed. Then, he jerked his head in agreement, and a quiet grunt escaping his lips. Then, with all the effort in his body, it seemed, he stood, and huddled the team into a close circle. Yuna and Kimahri left to take their seats.

"Alright, the game starts soon. No time for warm-ups. Ready?"

"Lemme at 'em!" I growled, my enthusiastic persona making everyone grin and cheer in agreement.

"All right. I got something to tell you boys. After this game... I'm retiring. I promised myself this would be my last tournament. Win or lose, I'm quitting Blitzball. But you know... Since we're here, we might as well win!" They all nodded in understanding, and I patted Wakka's back… in a manly way, of course.

"Yeah!"

"Am I on the bench?" Botta asked cautiously. Wakka shook his head, holding me round the shoulders.

"I'm warming the bench!" he announced. "He's taking my place. Be nice, ya?" The team sniggered, agreeing whole-heartedly with Wakka. He grinned at me.

"Would you like to do the honours, my friend?"

I grinned broadly, leaning forwards, plopping my hand into the middle of the circle.

"What's our goal!??" I yelped, as the rest of the team shoved their hands in on top of mine.

"VICTORY!"

"Let's make those Goers, goners!"

* * *

_**Wakka**_

Wakka took a hue breath, leaning against the lockers, and downing the Yuna's special White Mage's Elixir. His muscles were aching, his back painful, and his side stabbing in sharp shoots of agony when he moved the wrong way, where the Al Bhed had rammed into his with one of their steel knuckles.

"Damn Al Bhed…" he muttered, head snapping back, hitting the lockers, a clanging noise ringing throughout the room.

He didn't see her standing by the door, admiring him.

"I saw you…"

Wakka's head span round to gaze at her. Lulu stood by the door, hands folded together, dark dress trailing the ground as she came closer, moogle swinging dangerously from her garter, until she came to a stop in front of him, eyes gazing at the ground.

"Floating there on the sphere…" she turned her head up, shaking her bang from her ruby red eye, long black lashes fluttering, and Wakka's stomach gave a jolt. Dammit. Lu wasn't supposed to see him being a weakling, an idiot.

"Hey… you weren't supposed to see that…" he trailed off, eyes down, heart low. Lulu brought her soft, creamy hand up to his russet tanned cheek, smiling as she felt the roughness of a red stubble on his strong jaw. Her long nails brushed his skin.

"Oh… no! I… I didn't care. Not in the slightest," she assured him, her plump lips opening as she flashed her dazzling white teeth in a whole, rare, Lulu smile, making Wakka's heart pick itself up and cry out in joy.

"Really?" he asked, voice optimistic.

"Really. I thought… you…" Lulu trailed off, thinking this through. She smiled softly at him again.

"You really gave it your all, didn't you?"

Wakka almost died when he saw one, fat tear roll down Lulu's tin cheek, and fall off her chin into the fur at the top of her dress. He'd known her all his life, and he'd never seen her cry. He guessed she must have when Chappu died, but not in _front_ of him.

"Lu," he breathed weakly, brushing another tear from her face. She laughed at herself, a sad little laugh.

"I'm so stupid. You'll never be Chappu, Wakka. Never. I'm sorry I wished that you could be," she choked. Wakka sighed. He knew that was what she'd been trying to do. He was too great a reminder of what she didn't possess any more, and this broke her heart.

"Hey… it's okay Lulu."

"And you really did give it your all today…"

"For you," Wakka decided to tell her the truth. He'd wanted to impress her, show her he was more than Chappu ever was, even if he wasn't a brave Crusader. "I did all of it for you, Lulu."

"For me…" Lulu trailed away, another tear rolling down her face. He nodded, taking her gently in his arms, as she reached up and pressed a kiss to his lips, wrapping her arms around his neck, pushing herself up against him. He melted into her kiss, holding her waist tightly, his greatest dream since he was 13 years old coming true. She broke away, smiling softly at him.

"Thank-you, Wakka," she said surely, leaning her head against his muscular chest.

"No problem Lu. No problem at all…" Wakka breathed.

Deciding to warm the bench and let Tidus take his place was the best decision he's ever made. Another thing to thank that kid for.

* * *

**I am soooo sorry that I had to change POV in this chapter. I hate it, and didn't want to do it, but it was nessecsary, trust me. Tidus wasn't there, so someone need to have thoughts and feelings, lol! :)**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, not sure how I feel about it... TOODLE-PIP FOR NOW! ;)**

**(p.S sorry for any typos, but I'm SOOO tired right now, I can't do any proof-reading *weeps in apology* sorry my friends!)**


	10. Anima

**A hee hee hee. I'm going to start putting songs to each chapter! *sings* For this chapter it was 'Last Train Home', by Ryan Star. You should definitely listen to it! Thanks! Oooh, and this chapter is dedicated to my baby sister, who is turning 10 tomorrow 9/7/09!! *cries* They grow up so fast! *cries a little more* ... But I am only 14, so there isn't that much of a difference... but DOUBLE DIDGITS! Come on people! XD .x**

* * *

**Anima.**

_**Tidus**_

We were lined up to make our entrance into the sphere pool, me shaking out any knots that had formed in the muscles in my back, limbering up by jogging lightly on the spot. The Goers were entering from the opposite side of the pool, and I glanced around at my team, their faces serious with concentration.

I noticed Wakka and Lulu emerge from the changing rooms to watch us play, both leaning on each other… both of them… smiling. I grinned at Wakka, who blushed and gave me a thumbs up.

"Well, well, well folks! Who could have imagined... a championship game between these two teams? Our _legendary_ Luca Goers going against... the _horrendously ill-fated Besaid Aurochs!"_

I smirked at that, getting ready to wipe the floor with these guys. I glanced around, looking up behind us to see Maester Seymour- but he wasn't watching the sphere. He was watching the box next to his, where Yuna and Kimahri were standing. Yuna waved wildly at me, her smile huge, and Kimahri was staring at Maester Seymour, showing his razor sharp canines to the Guado. The Maester smiled coldly in reply, and brought his gaze down to meet my eyes. I gave him the dirtiest look I could possibly muster, before turning back to the pool.

"Please welcome- The _Besaiiiiid_ Aurochs!"

It shocked me how many people screamed at the top of their voices, and without thinking twice, I leapt into the pool, feeling the familiar warmth, and genuine wholeness I felt always when playing Blitz. The Goers were in too now, and I swam up to centre court to shake hands with their Captain, a sour faced man of about 26.

"Okay, folks, lets go over the rules! Jimma, would you do the honours?"

"I would of course, Bobba. Five players on each team. One goalie, two defenders, three attackers. Object of the game is to throw the ball in the opposing team's goals. The team with the most goals at the end of the match, wins. There can be as much fist fighting as they want! But only two people are allowed to have a physical fight _over the ball at the one time. _Everyone else can battle it away, but when two people are fighting over the ball, another person taking part in that fight, will automatically forfeit a penalty to the opposing team."

"Why, thank-you Jimma. Refereeing for us today, is none other than the famous Blitzer, Friddo!! Who Captained the Bevellian Vipers in his day! Take it away, Friddo!"

I swam up to the Captain, shaking his hand, hard. He smirked at me, and I smiled as sweet as I could back, receiving a disgusted glance in return. I took my place in centre court, and the referee threw the ball up in the water, causing me and Bickson, Captain of the Luca Goers, to dash up in a quick, straight stroke to catch it. I made it first, propping the ball underneath my arm.

I elbowed Bickson in the stomach, causing him to double over. Grinning to myself, I kicked my feet hard, swimming up the side of the pool. A defender for the Goers swam up to me, launching herself upon me. I twirled out of her grasp, shoving her hard towards the wall of the sphere.

"Look at that kid go! Who is that, Bobba?"

"No idea, Jimma, but can he Blitz!"

I made a bullet pass to Datto, who made another bullet pass up to Letty, by which time I'd made my way to a key goal-scoring position directly in front of the goals. The Goers tried to swim in and tackle me, but I'd already hammered the ball away with my foot, hitting the goalie square in the stomach, where I'd been aiming, sending him propelling back into the net.

A gigantic buzzer sounded.

"GOOOOAAAAALLL!"

"And it's back to centre court! Can this Blitzing Genius keep it up, and perhaps give the Aurochs a chance?!"

This time, at centre toss up, Bickson caught the ball after a nasty kick to my groin. I shook it off, but that guy was a fast swimmer, and had already shot halfway down the court. I could see Lessu and Jessu panicking from a mile away, and so grabbed onto one of the Goer's attackers, kicking myself off from her. This gave me that extra burst I needed, and I caught up with Bickson, swimming beneath him and jamming the ball out from under his arm. I turned to swim away, but the attacker I had used as a propeller earlier was there, and she jabbed my stomach with her iron armoured fist. I've been hit a lot harder, by some tougher girls, so this didn't bother me, but then Bickson was holding my head, tugging hard, while the attacker rammed into me, trying to get the ball.

"PENALTY! PENALTY!" I heard the crowd yelling. I distinctly heard, the usually quiet, gentle tones of Yuna-

"_Referee_!" she screamed. I would have laughed if it wasn't for the searing pain in my head. I glanced at the referee, and he was shaking his head, declaring no penalty. I swore. So he was biased?

"GOOOOOAAAALLL!"

Dammit. In my one moment of spacing out, which is all that it took, the Goers had scored, and now we were tied.

"HALF-TIME!" Bobba and Jimma screeched in perfect unison. I swam back towards the entrance to the sphere pool, climbing out and taking huge great gulps of air. We huddled close together, and it was decided, (due to the crowd's demand) Wakka would take my place for the second half. I settled down on the bench were he had been sitting, and Lulu stood.

"But… you're too weak," she said quietly. I shrunk down as small as I could, watching closely. Wakka came up to her, and ran his hand along the side of her face.

"I'll be fine Lu. That potion really helped. Don't worry!" he grinned hugely, and Lulu smiled in reply. I gasped, my eyes widening as I watched her hesitate, before pulling his head down, and kissing his forehead. He blushed, but winked all the same before clambering into the sphere pool.

"Wakka's back on folks! Can the Aurochs do the impossible and triumph over our very own Luca Goers? Only the second half of this truly historical match will tell!" Lulu sat back down beside me, a small smile on her pouting lips. I was grinning madly, before opening my mouth wide to make a thoroughly childish '_Oooooooooh_!' noise.

Lulu stopped me before I'd had the chance.

"Don't you say a single word, Tidus." Her voice was uncharacteristically cheerful, and I decided to leave her to bask in her thoughts of Wakka, and watch the game.

"Datto, Letty, Wakka- ooh, interception by Bickson, passed to Adia, passed on to Arias - INTERCEPTION by Lessu, did cha see that move, folks?! Lessu to Letty, to Datto, Datto feeds the ball in nicely to Wakka at prime shooting position before the Goer's goals. Bickson tries to tackle, DODGED, folks! Did cha see that move?! Jimma, all this chaos is making me light-headed!"

"Likewise, Bobba, definitely. Wakka dodges Arias, and it looks like Letty and Bickson are killing each other out there. Wakka takes aim, Goer's goalie prepares himself. It's going, going-- _OH WHAT A SAVE FOLKS! _Goalie passes it out- _INTERCEPTED BY WAKKA_!

"Wakka charges for the goals, Bickson doesn't know what's hit him did you see that punch?! Letty and Datto are keeping the defenders under wraps-- WHAT?! Where did Jessu come from? He's got the goalie round the neck! THE GOALS ARE WIDE OPEN! Wakka, aims- shoots- GOOOOAAAAALLLL!"

I leapt up, screaming at the top of my voice. The whole of the stadium where on their feet, as the buzzer sounded to signal the end of the game. Lulu jumped up next to me, and clutched me in an ecstatic hug. I gasped, hugging her back, shock and joy flowing through me.

"UNBELIEVABLE! This is history in the making folks! The Aurochs WIN!!!" I glanced up above me and Lulu, to see Seymour still relaxing in his plush chair, clapping gently on the back of his hand. I scowled, before bringing my gaze down a little, to see Yuna on her feet, screaming at the top of her lungs. For someone who was usually so quiet, it shocked me as to how loud she could be when she wanted. Kimahri was smiling, showing his sharp canines, and when Yuna turned to hug him, he enveloped her in his muscular arms.

I ran as fast as I could to the entrance of the pool, and when Wakka emerged, shaking the water from him face, splattering me with little drops of clear blue water, I slapped his back.

"Awesome, man!" I yelled. Wakka blushed before grasping me in a tight hug. I grinned widely.

"How can I ever thank you, kiddo? Without you, we'd never have had the confidence to do what we just did!" he announced, every part of him emanating happiness. I blushed.

"Aw… you don't have to thank me, big guy. I'm getting kind of fond of you. Not that I want to start picking out curtains, or anything…"

Wakka laughed out loud at that, opening his mouth to talk again. His words were drowned by the scream of terror from the crowds, and the sudden urge to evacuate the stadium, everyone yelling and shouting at the tops of their voices. I looked anxiously around, and saw Lulu and Kimahri hurrying Yuna away.

"Help them evacuate the stadium!" Yuna yelped at us. Wakka and I sprang into action, and I suddenly saw what all the fuss was about.

Fiends. Hundreds of the beasts, from huge Zus to Flans. They were swarming the stadium, attacking people left right and centre. I unsheathed my sword, wiping out one that was terrorising a family, blocking people's path to the exit.

"Hurry! Go now!" I yelled. They blessed themselves, dashing from the stadium. It was getting too dangerous for us in there, so me and Wakka had to leave then too, running as fast as our legs would carry us out of the stadium.

We emerged out onto the busy main square of Luca, to see thousands of fiends everywhere, thrashing and destroying buildings, injuring people, blocking paths of evacuation from the stadium. The chaos was making my head spin. Seymour Guado had emerged out across the square on top of a balcony in one of the fancy hotels. Anger spurted through me.

Some all protecting Maester of Yevon he was. I'll bet he was highly skilled in White and Black Magic, so he could help, but he'd rather just stand up there and watch us all die.

"Tidus!" Wakka yelled, pointing to the middle of the square. That was the first glimpse I caught of _him_ in Spira.

He was dressed in his traditional red outfit, one useless sleeve billowing in the wind of the hectic situation. His boots were scuffed, black leather, strong wearing. His dark, tinted glasses hid his eyes, the eyes that held so many secrets, lies, deception. Looking into those eyes as a child, I had always wondered why I trusted him so completely. But I did. He unsheathed his gigantic, great silver sword, the one that was pretty much the same height as Yuna, thick, and deadly. The intricate carving around the base of it was pristine as ever, and as he span towards us, swinging the sword, the sunlight caught the silver blade, making it sparkle. His hair was the same chestnut brown, greying at the roots, his stubble silver in places. His skin was as brown and leathery as ever.

I gasped, as he recognized me, and brought the sword down.

The legendary Guardian of High Summoner Braska, Sir Auron had made his return to Spira.

"Auron!" I yelled, running to him. Wakka was totally awed by his presence.

"Sir Auron!" he gasped, bowing. Auron shook his head hurriedly.

"No time," he muttered, in that voice that reminded me of feet crunching on gravel, of nails being hammered into walls. The high collar of his outfit disguised the faint smile I was sure was there when he glanced at me. "You better be more skilled with that sword this time."

I nodded, leaping beside him, as a ravenous Zu swooped down beside us, roaring. I flinched, but Auron had already taken a heavy swing at it, dealing the Zu a painful blow. I gasped. The power he held was astounding. I took a swipe at the Zu, and it barely made a scratch. Auron smirked.

Wakka threw his ball up into the Zu's face. That only made it angrier. This thing was not relenting. That's when it happened. That's when I saw the second most terrifying thing in Spira. The most was Yuna's deadly dance, but this… this was a creature.

The crowd had stopped pulsing and everyone was staring, fixated on the beast that loomed far above all of us.

It was taller than the stadium, and it had cascaded out of the tiled pavement below our feet, causing a huge earthquake, and brick and rubble to lie about the ground were it was trapped. It's skin was like leather, black, and grey, and I could smell it rotting from where I stood, and see it too in great patches of brown. The creature's bones were terrifyingly prominent, jutting out of it, it's skin stretched tight like elastic. Two, gigantic membrane like… what you would see protecting a Venus Flytrapran up alongside it, looking like some sort of protection from the world, but these were split wide open, leaving the animal fully exposed. It's hands consisted of thick veins running like tree roots across the back, and it had broken, bleeding nails. It had it's arms crossed across it's body, clutching itself so tight, it was dragging the skin away from it's shoulders, tearing it like paper.

Around it's neck were two slabs of stone, which looked like gravestones, strange markings and symbols engraved in them, pulling the creature's head down. It's… head. Canine teeth the same length as Auron's sword twice, protruded from it's huge mouth, which was opened in agony, revealing rows upon rows of jagged, decaying, broken yellow teeth. I noticed a smaller version of it's gigantic dying arms and hands clutching the tombstone necklace, scrunched tight. The animal's face was concealed by a huge brown woven… sack it looked like, red spikes from the creature's head sticking out the top of it's sack-mask. The only other feature I could make out through the sack, was where a gaping hole resided, big enough for one of the creature's eyes to be revealed. It was glowing red, and… bleeding. Dripping hot, viscous blood onto the ground, and all the way down itself. I judged from the markings on the sack, this wasn't the only time it bled so wildly.

It was chained, the jagged iron chains cutting into it's flesh, holding it in place, going round again and again and again, tearing at it, making it hurt.

That's when I first heard the scream.

The creature let out a terrible, blood-curdling screech, that of which I had never heard before in my life. This creature wasn't angry, determined on killing us. It wasn't a fiend. It was… in pain. No, not pain- agony. It's mind and soul a swirling mess of oblivion, and the blood was it's tears. It screeched again, in that instant making every bad thought or memory I'd ever had come swarming back, choking me in an army of anguish. I gulped, wanting nothing more than to help this thing. It was crying harder now, it's yells of pain, and turmoil echoing up into the sky, and I noticed Maester Seymour in deep thought behind it on the balcony.

A sharp beam of red light shot from the creature's weeping crimson eye, destroying tens of fiends at the one time. Seymour, was directing the shots. This creature was _Seymour's! _He had done this to it. He continued using the creature to murder fiends, it's screams of torment becoming higher in pitch, and more frequent. It was begging him to stop. Finally all the fiends were gone, and he silenced the beast.

"You have served me well, Anima," he called, his voice low and cruel.

That thing was a she.

"Come on."

I followed Auron without thinking. Anything to get away from the scene of… Anima's pain.

And Seymour pulled her away back into darkness, or wherever the hell he kept her. Auron grabbed me by the back of the head, dragging me away further.

* * *

"Hey you! Don't stand there! All of this is your fault! Getting swallowed by Sin! Ending up here in Spira! Not being able to go back to Zanarkand- everything, everything! _I'm telling _you it's all your fault!"

We were standing on an abandoned dock, where the Al Bhed had been stationed earlier on. Auron was leaning against one of the great crates of cargo, and I was storming around, throwing my hands repeatedly in the air. Auron had just suddenly appeared, no explanation, and expected everything to go back to the way it was. Not a single word about Zanarkand, what happened- nothing. He'd just dragged me away, and sat there until I started screaming at him like someone who had mental problems. I stopped yelling when I heard Auron chuckling at me.

"…Your temper is so like-"

"Who's? My FATHER'S? 'Cause believe me, Auron, the only thing I've heard being here about him, was that he was amazing, and great, and he won all these idiots in Spira over with his fake act!"

Auron remained silent. He was seriously beginning to get on my nerves.

"Who _are_ you anyway?!" I yelled. Auron shrugged, closing his eyes gently. He was acting like he couldn't hear me. "You knew me old man, didn't you?!" Silence. "You knew Yuna's father. Didn't you?!"

"That is correct."

He said it like it was the easiest thing in the world to just throw away, and ignore. Anger swelled, and I reached braking point.

"Aaahh!" I yelled, before swinging my hand round, my fist coming into contact with his cheek. My punch caused him to open his eyes, which flashed with amusement. He spat his own blood onto the ground, while I stood before him, taking huge breaths like some sort of monster. Rubbing his hand on the side of his face, he returned to his original stance, like I'd never punched his jaw, like I'd never just exploded. I spat on the ground too, and walked over, throwing myself down onto another crate.

"Yeah, well, there's no way you could have known them both. That's just damn well impossible!" I yelled, fuming. Auron waited a moment before responding.

"You know? I thought you'd grown up at least a little," he sneered. Walking to me in a fast pace, he dragged me up by the collar, face inches from my own. I didn't make any attempt to get away from him. "Being in Spira. Surrounded by death and destruction at every corner, people's lives torn apart at the seams in instants. I thought that being here with Yuna, a girl who is _two years younger _than you, who is struggling to rid her world of the beast that deprives them all so terribly, would help you at least a little to come to terms what the real world is. It's not all Blitzball, champagne parties, and whores," Auron snarled at me. I couldn't speak.

"I wanted you to stop being such a spoiled brat, waited on by countless people, worshipped more than any other person that ever walked into that stadium besides your father. I wanted you to grow up, Tidus! You think you're different from your father. You're _exactly_ the same."

He let go of me and sauntered away, leaving me speechless, gaping into space. He spoke again, voice no longer laced with disgust and disapproval, but emotionless.

"Nothing impossible about it. Jecht, Braska and I...Together we defeated Sin ten years ago. Then I went to Zanarkand... where I watched over you. So that one day I could bring you to Spira."

So… my entire life had been Auron preparing me to go to Spira. Getting ready for the time when he could just ship me here. A thousand unanswered questions baffled me, but I focused on the most prominent one at that particular moment.

"Why did it have to be me?"

Auron sighed, settling back on his crate, eyes slipping closed once more.

"Jecht asked me to," Auron replied simply. I struggled to comprehend this information, asking the second most important question.

"He's… Auron?" Auron's eyes snapped open at the sound of my worried voice, concern in his eyes, just the same as when I had been a little boy, terrified by a night-mare. "Is he still alive?" Auron surveyed me over the top of his glasses for a moment, before strolling up to me.

"It depends what you mean by 'alive'," he mused, his voice cold. "He is no longer human. But then... I felt something of Jecht, there in that shell... couldn't you? You must have felt him when you came in contact with Sin."

I was frozen in time, as I attempted to gather this new information Auron had just thrown at me. Sin… my father… one and the same? I wouldn't accept it, couldn't accept it… but still… a small part of me… _knew_ that Auron spoke every word of the truth.

"It can't be…" I murmured, more to myself than Auron.

"It is. Sin is Jecht." Auron's words were low and truthful, and I met his deep brown eyes with my electrifying blue ones. He frowned, and repeated his words, as if reassuring _himself_. "Sin _is_ Jecht." This was stupid. Sin couldn't be my dad! It was just… physically impossible!

"No! That's ridiculous! No way! I don't believe you!" I insisted, making myself believe Auron was a liar.

"But it _is_ the truth. You'll see for yourself. Come with me," Auron spoke, his voice controlled and calm, in an attempt not to upset me more than I already had been..

"If I say no?" I snapped. I could stay in Luca! I could… join a Blitz team, get a job, find an apartment. Make a name for myself in Spira! Yeah! Forget about pilgrimages, Yevon and… Yuna.

Somehow, I knew that wasn't possible. I was about to sink into thoughts of the beautiful young girl, but Auron spoke again.

"Every story must have an ending."

I growled. When I was a kid, he would always tell me old faerie stories, about faraway monsters called… fiends… and people who saved the world time and time again from the monsters… they were Guardians. I would beg to be told more, but Auron would always reply with the same six words. _Every story must have an ending. _

"I don't care about your stories!" I raged at Auron, sick and tired of his stupid little games. Auron was already walking away.

"I see. Sorry you feel that way. Fine, then. Come or don't come. It's your decision," he got three more steps in, before I yelped, more frustrated than I've been in my entire life. I couldn't leave it all behind in a heartbeat. I couldn't… let Yuna do this alone.

"Rrrraaaaghhh! What am I supposed to say!? You tell me it's my decision...But I don't have a choice, do I? You're the only one who can tell me what's going on, anyways! I have to go with you! I have to!" This was the simple truth of the matter, and no matter how much I wished it wasn't true, how much I begged for everything to go back to normal again- it wasn't going to. Not soon anyways. I couldn't stop the hot, tears of anger that threatened to spill.

"Irritating, I know. Or are you afraid?" Auron mocked me. He turned, to see a tear roll down my face, anger coursing through me. I was so upset. He sighed, and came close to me, placed a hand on my shoulder, I turned my head to look at it, and he flicked my nose, just like he did when I was a kid and I was angry or upset. I smiled, and he ruffled my hair, and I was suddenly reminded of the father I'd had in Auron, who I'd loved since mom died. "It's all right," Auron muttered, his rough voice now gentle. I sighed and nodded, wiping my face with the back of my hand. Auron smiled, shaking his head, before swatting the back of mine, urging me on with the cuff.

"Auron?" He stopped walking, and raised a brow. "Will I ever see it again? The City of a Thousand Lights? Zanarkand? Will I ever go home?"

Auron frowned at me, his lips pressing together.

"That's up to Jecht." I nodded, and walked up to him. He moved on, heading towards the cliffs of Luca, where the road to Djose was. "Come on, son. I'm going to offer my services to Yuna. And… now that I think about it, so are you."

My heart perked up a bit at that. I was going to be a Guardian.

A real Guardian…

* * *

As we approached Lulu, Wakka, Kimahri and Yuna, who were standing at the head of the cliffs, watching the sea over the blue railings, we stayed silent, listening to them speaking.

"Do you think he's gonna stay here?" Wakka's voice was upset.

"Sir Auron knows him, apparently. You were right. He did meet someone he new," Lulu mused. It seemed strange to her to not have me pipe up an annoying, relatively simple question at her every turn. I… had really started to get fond of Lu.

"Do you… think he'll find a way back to Zanarkand?" Yuna's voice seemed… heartbroken. Her head was lowered, and she was fiddling with her sleeves, like she always did when she was upset. She wasn't meeting anyone's eyes, but I knew they all thought she'd gone mad believing me about Zanarkand. Lulu and Wakka exchanged upset glances, but I knew Lulu was secretly gloating. She'd known all along me and Yuna would be great friends, and she didn't want Yuna to be sad when I retuned to Zanarkand. Lulu reached down, and propped Yuna's head up on her first two fingers, smiling softly at her little sister.

"In any case, I'll miss having him around," Wakka murmured, kicking a pebble into the sea with his boot. Yuna took a deep breath, as if she was making some huge decision.

"He's still in the town, isn't he? I'm going to go find him," her words were forceful and sure, and she span on the spot, away from her Guardians, who too turned in an effort to stop her. They all gasped in unison, making me smirk. Yuna didn't say the name I thought she would.

"Tidus!" she breathed, her face lighting up. I grinned bashfully, giving her a small wave. "Sir Auron!" She bowed deeply, as did all her other Guardians. When she stood, Auron bowed to her, and she blushed heavily.

"Yuna," he said politely, giving her a small smile. She seemed flabbergasted he remembered her. I figured Auron had known her when she was little. "You've certainly grown. You… look a lot like your mother. I'm sure she and Braska would be very proud of you." Yuna blushed harder, her unable to express her gratitude in words.

"Sir?" she asked, seeing he wanted to say more.

"I wish to become your guardian. Do you accept?" Auron asked, bluntly. Yuna gasped, her mismatching eyes snapping wide. Lulu and Wakka's eyes were too.

"You're serious?" Wakka asked, voice disbelieving.

"You refuse?"

"No, no! We accept! Right, everyone?" Yuna insisted, beaming at Auron. Lulu and Wakka nodded repeatedly, and Kimahri grunted.

"O-Of course! No problem at all!" Wakka said, his voice high and excited. He stumbled forth, and Lulu gracefully took a stride towards Auron.

"But… Sir Auron, why?"

"I promised Braska," Auron said blankly. Lulu nodded in understanding, glancing at Yuna, who was staring at Auron in wonder. "Oh, wait, I almost forgot. He-" Auron grabbed me by the scruff of my neck, and jerked me in front of him, setting me down. "-comes too. Not a problem, I presume?" He was gazing at Yuna when he said that, and she shook her head breathlessly, her look of pure delight making my head hurt. "This one I promised Jecht."

"You sure seem to be making a lot of promises, _Auron_," I hissed. He sniffed, indifferently.

"I can be generous when I want to be," he replied.

"Sir Auron? Is… Sir Jecht still alive?" Yuna asked quietly. I glanced up at Auron wondering if he would tell Yuna what he told me.

"Can't say. Haven't seen him in ten years," Auron said thoughtfully, walking past Lulu, Wakka, and me to Yuna. "… You'll meet. Eventually," he added, voice emotionless as ever.

"Yes, I'm looking forward to it!" Yuna announced, face flushed with happiness. She glanced at me, to see me grimacing, and immediately stopped smiling.

Auron coughed.

" So, what's our itinerary? Where are we headed?" Lulu led him away from me, Wakka following with Kimahri. Yuna made her way towards them as well, but I stayed, as I tried to sort out all the jumbled thoughts in my pounding head. Yuna changed her mind halfway, and walked back to me.

"Hey, come with me!" she announced excitedly. I was so lost in my own sorrows, I barely had time to jolt at her touch.

She tugged me up to the railings, and stopped, pressing her two fingers into her mouth, and blowing. A sharp, clear, surprisingly sweet whistle emitted. I couldn't help by smile at her ecstatic face.

"I was practicing at the game," she said shyly, taking her fingers away from her mouth.

"Hey… you got pretty good," I said, trying to sound enthusiastic. Yuna tilted her head to one side.

"Tidus? You sound… sad," she said, her eyes immediately loosing their glitter, becoming deeply saddened at whatever pain was troubling me. I glanced at her beautiful face, the soft light of the setting Lucian sun accentuating her flawless appearance.

"Yeah… maybe," I muttered, sighing. Yuna did not need to know about my father. She didn't need to know any of the other skeletons Auron might have locked in his closet, about her father or mine. She was under enough pressure as it was, I didn't need to add to that with any of my problems. She didn't pry though, beg me to tell her what the matter was, become huffy when I didn't confess everything to her right away. She giggled softly instead, causing me to glance up. She bit her lip, pressing her hands behind her back.

"Wanna scream?" she asked, playfully. I grinned, my sadness rapidly deteriorating just being in the presence of this wonderful girl.

"I don't think that's going to help this time…" I breathed, staring out at the sea. Yuna nodded understandingly.

"You know what?" Yuna piped up suddenly.

"Hmm?" I was lost in thought about my dad, and Zanarkand. I was comparing the Blitz game today with the tournaments we had back home.

"It's embarrassing to say this myself... But Summoners and their Guardians are kind of like Spira's ray of light. A lot of people in Spira depend on us. I learned to practice smiling when I'm feeling sad, you know?" I tried to smile at her, but thinking of Zanarkand had brought by sad mood down even more, and my eyes were stinging with tears I WOULD NOT let fall in front of Yuna. She bit her lip, smiling softly at me. She reached up and hesitated before settling her gentle hand down on my shoulder and rubbing her thumb back and forth softly.

"… I know it's hard," she breathed. I had to smile at the concern that took her over then, her eyes wide and meaningful, every part of her trying to make me feel better. What was wrong with me? Yuna was touching me for Yevon's sake, diverting all her attention on me and I was still depressed!

"Yeah... I understand. I think," I added, my eyebrows knotting together. Yuna removed her hand from my shoulder, and I suddenly felt much colder. I turned to gaze at her and she was smiling at me.

"You say you understand? Okay, let's see what you can do!" she chimed, giving me a big fake Yuna smile. I frowned. Did she want me to try and smile?

The corners of my mouth flinched up, my muscles protesting. Yuna laughed at me.

"Come on! You call that a smile!" she bent over, whispering- "I bet Lulu could do better!" I really did smile at that, but this was freaking me out.

"Yuna! …This is weird!" I laughed. She smiled, giggling.

"Okay, now try laughing out loud!" she ordered, and turned round to face me. I raised a brow and opened my mouth in a round shape, emitting a feeling less noise. "Come on! Show me!" Yuna laughed. I took a deep breath, my voice emotionless.

"A ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha." This was actually helping all the pent up frustration I had. I got louder, shouting the syllables out as loud as I could. "A ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha."

Yuna giggled, and placed her hand on my arm, catching my attention.

"Uh, Tidus, I think you should stop!" she insisted, grinning as I shook my head and stood up straight. I winked and started my forced laughing again. I did it a little less frustrated this time, but it was still forced and robotic sounding.

Finally, I wove my fingers in with Yuna's encircling her hand in my gloved one, feeling the sheer breakability this girl held without even trying. Her eyes lit up and she beamed at me, joining me in my forced laughter. We both doubled up each time.

"A HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! A HA HA HA HA HA HA _HA_!!!"

We both exploded in a fit of real laughter, falling about, hands still entwined, giving me a rush, and a reason to keep on laughing. I'd forgotten about being sad, or upset. All I cared about was the fact I was there, holding hands with the most beautiful girl on the planet. She made me… happy.

"Too _funny_!" she clutched her stomach with her free hand, gasping for air.

"It was your idea!" I insisted, turning round to face her. She turned at the same time, and we met in the middle, our bodies almost touching. Our hands were raised, beside our heads, and I was staring deep into Yuna's eyes. I think… that was the first time I _really_ felt it. Sure I knew Yuna was pretty, and wonderful. And I didn't hesitate to tell her that. But… this time. It felt different. Like that electric shock I felt when I touched her, or said something meaningful had increased by about 3000 volts. It was incredible.

Something had definitely changed. Yuna's eyes danced and she poked me with her free hand, and I saw the tiny ring her father had given her lodged on her littlest finger.

"Um, thank-you," she breathed, smile small, beautiful. I frowned.

"Uh… for what?" I asked, like some imbecile. She giggled and continued to gaze long and hard into my eyes, the light breeze tickling her tresses, making them fly and sway.

"I want my journey to be full of laughter…" her voice was suddenly sad, and I saw a secret sorrow flash in her eyes. I was about to ask her what she wasn't telling me, but I she spoke again before I had the chance. Her words made my heart skip in delight.

"If we should _ever _get separated… just whistle. I'll come running. I promise," she breathed, smiling my favourite smile, making my stomach do back flips, and my brain become foggy and incoherent as I struggled to absorb her heartfelt words.

"Likewise," I replied, making her smile beam at me, and her face light up. She nodded, before tugging me by my hand towards our fellow travellers.

"Well, we better get going!" she said brightly, before we both stopped dead. Lulu, Wakka, Auron and Kimahri were all standing staring at us, Wakka arms folded, nudging Lulu, her brows raised, Kimahri still as a statue, and Auron smirking at me.

"What?" Yuna asked, quieter than she'd been this entire night. Wakka shrugged, pouting a little in thought as he spoke.

"We were just worried you guys might've gone crazy," he replied, and although I was aware he was joking with us, I could hear the note of truthfulness in there too. So I smirked at him, and Auron, before pulling Yuna along by the hand and stopping in front of them. We stopped clasping each other's hands when Lulu threw us a disapproving glare, but I saw Yuna smile secretly, before grinning her fake smile, purposefully.

"Sorry!" she announced, striding towards the gravel path that led to Djose. She stopped and turned, smiling at each of them in turn. "Well then, alright. Now, we go to the temple at Djose. Oh, and guardians?"

She seemed to aim her sparkling eyes at me when she said that.

"Don't forget to smile!"

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**Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed enough to review, it would mean a lot! ^_^**


	11. Mi'ihen Highroad

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The song for this chapter was brought to you by Natasha Bedingfield, doing a cover of Coldplay's: The Scientist. You should give it a try!

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**Mi'ihen Highroad.**

_**Tidus**_

We started our journey up the Mi'ihen Highroad the next morning, the sun beating down on us, a few fluffy white clouds floating along lazily above us, the long, thick, yellow grass dancing in the occasional gust of warm air. The track was dusty and worn, remnants of lost civilizations before Sin scattered around the sides of the Highroad. Auron wouldn't allow much time to stop and smell the roses (although it didn't seem they had roses in Spira) as he seemed keen on marching to end of the road before it got dark.

"Fiends. There are fiends everywhere you turn along here if you don't go quickly enough," he stated simply, sweeping on past the ruins and beggars alongside the trail. Yuna paused and rested her hands on the odd person's head, or bowed, but Lulu kept tugging her close to her side, forcing her to stay on the trail with us.

"You never know what could happen if you strayed," she reminded Yuna, nostrils flaring as she scolded. I couldn't help but snicker, causing her to glare angrily at me for a moment, and Yuna to not look so sad anymore. She just walked on past me, like a breath of fresh air, and spoke to Auron for a little while, or Kimahri, who didn't reply if I was within earshot.

But mostly, we travelled in silence, and that, for me isn't any good. I've got too much energy building up, and it was just driving me crazy that no one was speaking.

"What's up, you guys?" I chirped. Lulu glanced at me, eyebrows knotted, walking away from Wakka towards me.

"What's up?" she asked, her voice disbelieving. I shrugged nonchalantly, smiling widely. I saw Yuna shake her head, turning away to hide her tiny smile.

"Uh… yeah! It's just, nobody's talking, or making any noise. I figured we could talk, or something-"

"No talking. You have to save your energy. This road is the longest one in Spira, and the sun gets incredibly hot around midday. I want you to get ready to have to carry one of our female associates," Auron grumbled. I burst into laugher, soon realising he was serious. I stopped, biting my lip.

"Okay then…" I muttered, glancing around at the ruins.

I couldn't imagine trying to carry Lulu in that big, heavy, furry dress, her moogle glaring at me… carrying Yuna might be easier… Duh, of course it would be easier, I bet Yuna didn't weigh a thing. I sighed, stretching my arms above my head, causing a growl from a disgruntled Lulu behind me. Wakka chuckled nervously, and I heard him whisper something. A thought came to me.

"Hey, you guys?"

"… Didn't Sir Auron tell you to put a lid on it? Do as he says, ya?" Wakka called to me. I ignored him, and carried on speaking.

"Let's play a game! Alright, you all know how to play Truth or Dare, right? Yuna, you go first! Truth or Dare?!" I chimed. Yuna turned to me, eyebrow raised, a confused smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Uh…"

"Yuna," Auron said, his voice cautioning her into silence. She turned away from me, facing the road. I sighed. "Tidus, be_ quiet,_" Auron insisted. I nodded, and my head drooped, causing me to fall into silence.

This road reminded me of an old song my mom used to sing to me, when I was kid, about a lonely traveller, and how he was always nice to people, but they cheated him of his money or something. I glanced around, checking no one was paying attention to me. They were all lost in thought, Wakka wiping his brow, starting to heat up, Lulu sighing, but no perspiration anywhere near her, Auron's eyes closing, the dust from the road making his boots even more scuffed.

I puckered my lips and blew one sweet note, and happy with the tune, folded my hands behind my back, and strolled along, whistling away, not a care in the world.

I heard Yuna gasp behind me, and Auron turn sharply, snatching my wrist and pulling me close.

"_Don't_ make me say it again," he growled menacingly. Throwing me backwards, I fell into step with Yuna, who turned to stare at me intently, her eyes burning with curiosity. We walked for another little while in silence, before I heard a gentle hum beside me, and before long, Yuna was humming my tune gently, her voice sweet and light.

"Wait, you know that song?!" I yelled.

"TIDUS-"

Before Lulu, Wakka and Auron could yell at me in unison, I flinched away, to see three chocobos running towards us, important figures galloping along on their backs. The woman leading them had red hair, pulled back in a tight knot, armour strapped around her body, a sword that looked like a baby next to Auron's resting at her side. She cut across the other Guardians, looking down at Yuna, her smile curt, but not unpleasant.

"Lady Summoner, I presume?" she asked Yuna. Yuna blushed, and nodded her head, causing the three chocobo riders to salute her, in a similar fashion to how Gatta saluted Luzzu at every opportunity he got.

"I'm Yuna," she whispered, blushing heavier as the knights saluted her. The woman on the front chocobo raised her head, nodding.

"I am Lucil, captain of the Djose Chocobo Knights," she explained. So they were Crusaders. Her purple jumpsuit and yellowish skin seemed out of place for the title of a Captain. Back in Zanarkand, the Chief of Police (which is the closet thing we had to a Captain) had a tight fitting blue uniform, and a shiny badge. Lucil looked like a regular Spirant.

"And I'm Elma. We've been charged to guard the Highroad," the girl on the chocobo behind Lucil spoke, shaking her shiny black hair from her eyes, the beads clinking together as she did so. Wow. This girl was hot. Why was I not caring?

In that instant, I knew that Auron was wrong about me. He said that I hadn't changed from when I left Zanarkand, saying that even being in Spira hadn't caused me to grow up. But it truly had. I mean… if I had met Elma back in Zanarkand... Well, obviously we would have been under different circumstances, and I would be a Star Blitzer, and she would be screaming fan girl, who begged for my autograph. I would see her, and her shiny dark legs, and hit on her. I'd say stuff like:

"Hey, have I seen you before?"

"…Uh… maybe, I don't know!" *giggle*

"Yeah, I've definitely seen you somewhere before… You're- Oh yeah! You're my next girlfriend." *waggle my eyebrows*

After some bad pick-up lines that always worked because I batted my eyelashes and smiled appealingly, and some eyebrow waggles that should be outlawed they're so disrespectful (get a load of me!) I would undoubtedly bring her back to my apartment and…

I had to cease my train of thought at this point to stop it from going any further. But I bet anybody could pick-up on what we would have more than likely done. So, Auron was wrong. I had changed drastically since I came here. I'm not nearly as shallow, and I appreciate the finer things in life that I just used to take for-granted.

Elma was giggling. I snapped back into reality, and noticed that I had been gawking at her, like some idiot. Lulu had her head in her hands, Wakka looked angrier than I'd ever seen him, Auron was smirking cruelly at me, Lucil looked disgusted and Yuna… was bright red, and looking hard at her feet. Uh oh.

"There have been reports of a large fiend appearing in this area, with a taste for chocobos. _Do_ take care, Summoner Yuna, if you are to rent any chocobos," Lucil spoke again, tearing her gaze from me, and speaking politely to Yuna, who nodded her head sadly, not meeting the knight's eyes. Lucil shot an angry look at Elma, who shrunk back onto her chocobo.

"We should get back to our rounds. Farewell," Lucil smiled tightly at Auron, Lulu and Wakka, throwing me the dirtiest look I've ever seen. Elma bit her lip before leaning forth on her chocobo, giving me an unnecessary (and uncensored) view straight down her tight fitting leather shirt. I bit my lip and averted my eyes.

"Our prayers are with you," she said, batting her lashes.

"Elma!" Lucil shot, and the girl turned her chocobo, strutting away on the bird.

Wakka walked up behind me then, hitting me around the head hard, and Lulu tutted, giving me a disapproving glare. They walked up to Yuna, who still looked utterly inconsolable, trying to talk to her. She smiled her fake smile, before speaking quietly.

"If it's not too much trouble, I wonder if I could walk alone for a little while?"

She began to walk, even before her foster siblings had replied, head still down, shoulders slumped. Wakka turned to me, anger boiling and bubbling in his usually joking eyes.

"Way to go, genius!" he snapped, walking on. Lulu didn't even waste her time saying anything, she just blatantly ignored me, carrying on. Auron walked up beside me, and he too slapped the back of my head. Sighing, he carried on walking, leaving me standing on my own in the middle of the Mi'ihen Highroad.

We walked apart for a while, before I tried to brighten the mood.

"A giant fiend, huh? Let's go get him!" Auron chuckled coldly, not stopping.

"Why?"

"'Cause it's the right thing to do."

Auron did stop walking then, before laughing at me, and starting again.

"_It's the right thing to do_…" he mocked. "Jecht said that a lot, too. And every time he said it, it meant trouble for Braska and me."

I sighed and ignored that last comment. Damn Auron. Damn Elma. Damn everyone in this god-forsaken land! … Except Yuna.

I was an idiot. And everything I had thought whilst gaping at Elma, dissipated in a few seconds. I hadn't grown up. I'd just experienced a few more things, didn't like them, and chucked all my toys of the pram.

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Eventually, the sun moved to the centre of the sky, and I could tell it was midday, as it was boiling. Sweat dripped off me, my hair clung to my face, and I felt like I was going to drop dead from the heat at any moment. I had removed my gloves and jacket, my boots and socks. It was a little better, but still unbelievably warm. Lulu still didn't show any sign she knew it was roasting, but I thought that might be because she was cold as ice normally, and heat didn't affect her cold blood. Wakka, having grown up on Besaid and having family go back in Kilika was relatively okay with the heat, only removing his thick boots and bandana. Auron was wheezing a little, and had unzipped his collar, pulling his useless sleeve off, leaving his crippled arm in full view. Kimahri looked like he was going to die from the heat, and I remembered Lulu telling me how freezing Gagazet was. This must seem like one gigantic oven to Kimahri.

Yuna was still walking ahead of us, and Auron was carrying her boots and sash. Lulu had tried to get her to remove her white over shirt, but she had refused, saying it was improper for a Summoner to show so much skin. I had hastily reminded her of Dona, and she had given me a sad little look, and didn't say anything. She had plaited her hair back though, and it was the first time I had ever seen her with her hair anything other than free. It showed off her long white neck, and despite the sun, she hadn't browned or freckled or anything. She was walking carefully along the grass bank at the side of the road, and she didn't notice when she almost hit another woman walking the other way.

They bowed to each other, and the taller woman stood to gaze at Yuna. Her Guardians immediately swarmed, and we were all standing protectively next to Yuna.

"Ah, a Summoner party," the woman mused, her voice rich and thick. Yuna nodded, mood still dismal.

"You too, are a Summoner?"

"I am Belgamine."

"I'm Yuna, this is Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri, Sir Auron and… Tidus," she paused at my name, her voice soft and sad. Belgamine didn't seemed to notice.

"High Summoner Braska's daughter? I've heard much of you. But you are still fresh on the road, are you not?"

"Yes, I am."

"I might have a few things to teach you. Let us see which is stronger. My Aeons or yours. A one-on-one match. Not to the death, of course. What do you say?" Belgamine proposed, a soft smile on her lips. Yuna took a deep breath and glanced at the sun. I could tell she was struggling to stay standing, the heat was so overwhelming.

"I'll do my best…"

Yuna and Belgamine moved onto the roadside, both pulling out their staffs, from no where it seemed. I made a mental note to ask Yuna were she stowed hers when she wasn't using it. Belgamine reached to the heavens, and Summoned the Aeon Yuna had named Valefor. It seemed to be a slightly different colour, and it's attitude was different to our Valefor. Not gentle, but apparently cocky.

Yuna span her staff round expertly in her hands, her feet gliding in a neat circle around before instead of reaching to the heavens, like I expected, she tapped the ground lightly with her white hands. Suddenly, the earth was trembling beneath us, and an earthquake was shuddering the track. From the ground, a gigantic fiery Aeon leapt, his blue horns curving round, and serving as a spears to tunnel out. His body was gigantic and hulking, brown fur covering every inch. I was reminded of Valefor's majestic attitude and kind nature, and this Aeon reminded me of something totally different. However, just like Valefor, some unexplainable beauty radiated from the beast, and I found myself lost in it's snarling features, as it turned to Yuna and roared.

She picked a name quickly.

"Ifrit! Please help me!" she called, her voice surprisingly weak, her arms shaking. Belgamine directed Valefor to fly into the sky, but Yuna's Aeon was already blowing fireballs at the damn thing and the Aeon in flight gave in, crumpling in a heap on the ground, making Belgamine gape at the sheer power of Yuna's Aeon.

"Good Yevon…" she breathed. "You did remarkably. With a little more training, you could defeat Sin!" Belgamine praised Yuna. Yuna face was already dangerously red, and she was huffing and puffing from the energy it took to Summon an Aeon just not being within her.

"Thank… you," she wheezed, closing her eyes for a moment and composing herself. "But, I think you might be able to defeat Sin before I do."

"I cannot."

Belgamine's words threw me off, and I frowned heavily, as Wakka looked away, and Lulu averted the woman's gaze. Auron kept watching, as did I purely out of curiosity, as Kimahri went and stood next to Yuna.

"Or should I say… I was not able to," Belgamine explained, her whole body shamed, her voice low and unconfident.

"You mean…?" Yuna breathed. I glanced at Auron, who shook his head slowly in warning. Belgamine shook off her sorrow, and smiled warmly at Yuna.

"Farewell, my Lady. I hope we'll meet again…" she trailed away, before carrying on down the road on her own, removing her cloak as the heat reached it's climax, drowning us all in sticky warmth. Yuna walked away from the group, and I smiled.

"Hey, good job, Yuna!" I called. She stopped and turned to me, something I had never seen in Yuna, burning. It looked like… _anger_. Or else she was just desperately upset. I frowned, and she shook her head in apparent disbelief, before placing a hand on her forehead.

"Thank you... Ti-" she struggled to get the first syllable of my name out, before her eyes rolled in her head, and she fell backwards.

"YUNA!" there was an uproar of her name from every single Guardian but Kimahri of course, Auron down on his hands and knees, me on the other side of her as Lulu, Wakka and Kimahri watched from above. Auron pressed his first two fingers up to her neck, and sighed.

"She's just fainted. Probably the stress of the heat, and then Summoning. She hasn't had a very good day anyway. It was probably too much," he glared coldly at me.

"What the hell did I do?!" I demanded.

"Oh, don't be such a fool, Tidus. She saw you ogling Elma earlier, and now she's upset, because she doesn't think she means anything to you!" Lulu raged, storming around Yuna's exhausted form.

"I mean, the way you been treating Yuna, like she's special, like… she means something to you… she thought-… you looking at Elma made all the confidence you helped build just come crashing down! You understand, ya?" Wakka joined her, face disgusted.

Kimahri silently went to their side as well. Auron rolled his eyes.

"If Yuna's ever going to defeat Sin, she's going to have to learn to build up a thicker skin than this," he said, his voice sharp.

"Don't talk about her like that," I said, my tone disbelieving Auron would ever say such a thing about Yuna. Despite all the insults Lulu and Wakka had just directed at me, I wanted to defend her. I _needed _to defend her. Something called out inside me, making me want to prove myself to her Guardians, and to her.

"I'm sorry. For whatever she thinks I did, but I was only thinking about how much I changed from coming to Zanarkand! I was imagining what I would do to Elma- Aaahh!"

An electric shock had just ran right through me, sizzling my nerves, making me shudder in pain. I glared at Lulu.

"What the hell was that for?!" I spat.

"What you would _do_ to Elma? You're _disgusting_!" she yelled, anger making her blood red eyes flash dangerously.

"I meant, I would_ hit on her_! Make an idiot of myself and of her, but now that I'm here, and I know Yuna, I know what a real beautiful girl looks like! And I know that you don't have to have platinum blonde hair and blue eyes and shiny skin and legs up to your neck and a huge bust to be worth anything! I know Yuna makes sacrifices, I know she only does what she does for _you_, and I know that when she's sad _she smiles! No one does that_! Except her! Because if anything were to make you guys unhappy, she would think it was her fault, and do everything in her power to fix it!

She's given up her young adulthood, to go on some pilgrimage, to stop the deadliest killer I've ever come across and she's seventeen! But she doesn't care! As long as everyone else is happy, she doesn't care! That's what _real _beauty is! Yuna _is_ real beauty, and I can't _believe_ you would assume I would degrade myself, by thinking gross, _horny_ thoughts with her around!"

I finished my rant, panting like some caged animal in distress, shoulders heaving, heart pounding. Lulu was gaping at me, and Wakka looked like if he stretched his mouth further, it would snap off.

I saw Auron smiling.

"What are you smirking at?!" I yelled. He shook his head.

"Nothing," he replied coolly, going to pick Yuna up. I stopped him.

"No way, man! If I made her upset, I'm going to atone for my sins, just like she would. I'm going to carry her, no matter how hot I get, not matter how much I just wanna curl up and die, and you can't stop me," I swung down, heaved Yuna up into my arms, and carried her back onto the road. Her head lolled to the one side, resting against my chest, and her breathing remained normal.

My bet earlier about her being light as a feather proved correct. I could hardly even tell she was resting in my arms, like a baby asleep. We trekked for hours along that Mi'ihen Highroad, and I didn't give in once, or hand her to Kimahri, or anything. I kept going.

I kept going so I could say sorry.

When we were about three quarters of the way done, a little girl and her mother, who were walking in the opposite direction, stopped us, the mother looking thoroughly concerned about Yuna. She frowned heavily, and bowed.

"What happened?" she asked worriedly. I opened my mouth to speak, but Lulu was at my side, talking before I could get a word in.

"She was Summoning a little way back, and the heat grew too much stress for her. She'll be fine once we come to an inn and rest," she said softly, brushing a strand of Yuna's hair off her still white face. It wasn't as hot now as it had been, but it was still worse than even Kilika, and I was eager to move along.

"Lady Summoner!" the little girl squeaked, bowing hurriedly. She gazed up at me, eyes full of wonder. "You're a little young to be a Guardian aren't you?" she questioned. Her mother pulled her away from me, mouth open, appalled.

"Gianni! Don't be so rude! Apologise to Sir-" she paused glancing up at me worriedly. I shrugged, not wanting to speak, as I was trying to conserve energy.

"Tidus," Auron spoke, low voice rumbling in my ear. The little girl came forth again, a sorry expression on her face.

"I'm sorry, Sir Tidus-" That sounded kind of awesome. _Sir_ Tidus had a nice ring to it- "But I just want to know. Is the Lady Summoner going to bring us the Calm?"

I glanced at Lulu, my features strained as I tried to convey my utter confusion to her. She rolled her eyes and smiled at the little girl, who jumped away, a little frightened by her harsh appearance.

"She hopes to, yes," she stated, bowing to the mother, and then pulling me along. We walked along in silence for another while, until I couldn't take it any longer.

"Lulu, what's the Calm?" I asked, letting out long pants of air. My back was straining, even though Yuna didn't weigh that much. Lulu raised a brow, before speaking.

"The Calm is a time of peace. It comes when a Summoner defeats Sin, and ends when it returns," she stated, like some sort of walking, talking dictionary. I nodded, pondering this. My head swarmed. Wait… did she say… returns?

"What?" I asked, sounding like some sort of confused four year old, wondering where his momma went. Lulu sighed angrily, jerking her head at Wakka to come forward.

"Sin dies, and is reborn, ya?" he told me, much more clearly. I nodded, realisation spreading across me.

"Oh! I get it," I mused, going over this again. If… Sin was just reborn again, then what was the point in going through all of this trouble to defeat it? "It makes sense now. Yuna's dad defeated Sin ten years ago, right? But Sin's still here. Didn't make much sense 'til now," I said animatedly. Wakka snickered, nudging Lulu ever so slightly, who smiled curtly back at him. I frowned.

"So… if it just comes back, then-"

"_Don't_ say it isn't worth it. Yuna would be even more upset with you if you simply stated that the sacrifices she and her father made and are making _aren't worth it_. Even… for a little while. People can sleep in their beds, without being afraid. That kind of time, is worth anything. So… don't say it isn't worth it," Lulu said, her voice soft, caring as she stared at Yuna's angelic features, seemingly sleeping, as she refused to awake from her fainting episode.

A woman was being yelled at, at the side of the road, and from the looks on her face, she was pretty distressed. Her brown hair was bundled up in a haphazard knot at the back of her head, a nun's cap placed firmly over it. Her robes were not unlike the robes of the priests and maesters, and she was fiddling nervously with one of the large sleeves, her bottom lip jutting out as she made an attempt not to cry. I couldn't resist going over to see what the man was yelling at her for. It seemed he was a Crusader, from his ensemble, and I'd thought that the Crusaders were on the same side as the Yevonites. Clearly, this wasn't the case.

"We'll defeat Sin, anyway we can!" the man yelled angrily, and she flinched away.

"But… Yevon's teachings say…" she trailed away timidly, biting her lip. The man scowled, and stormed away.

"Enough!"

"I… I…I only meant to…" she mumbled, gazing at her feet. I shuffled forth.

"Hey! Are you alright?" I questioned, my voice concerned. Auron snorted at me, and Lulu made an angry little noise, like she had no clue why I had to keep stopping and talking to people. I couldn't help it if I was a little curious!

"Oh! Oh, yes… fine… A Summoner?" she asked, peeking at Yuna in my arms. I nodded, readjusting my arms a little.

"This is Yuna. I'm Tidus," I stated, smiling my winning smile. She seemed a little dazzled, and it felt good to think I could still make people weak at the knees. Back in Zanarkand, I had actually made this girl faint- No! What am I thinking?! I'm trying to atone for what I did to Yuna, and thinking thoughts about hot girls I made faint in Zanarkand- The woman was speaking again, thank Yevon.

"My name is Shelinda. I am a disciple of Yevon," she said softly, smiling at Yuna as she bowed. Wakka walked up behind Lulu, arm lingering near hers.

"Hey, Shelinda? What was all that about?" he asked, face contorted into a confused look. Lulu rolled her eyes, but spared him a seething comment. She'd seemed to be trying her hardest to make Wakka happy since we left Luca. Weird.

"The Crusaders. They are launching an operation on the Mushroom Rock road, very soon. They have done a lot of work building up to it, everyone is on full alert. They're trying to kill Sin once and for all," Shelinda told us. She sounded a little… sceptical to me, like she didn't believe they'd be able to do. Mind you, I didn't either. Luzzu and Gatta had told me the Crusaders was formed like, 600 years ago, and they still hadn't beaten Sin. What was the point in them wasting more people's lives, when clearly they just had to wait for a Summoner to twirl their stick, head on back to their island and tell everyone Sin was dead?

"… I heard they were going to use…" Shelinda glanced around to see if anyone was near us, then bent over. We all bent with her, to hear her whisper. She barely moved her lips. "_Forbidden __**Al Bhed **__Machina_! I was trying to stop them!" I raised a brow.

"Forbidden… Al Bhed… Machina?" I trailed out. I thought I heard Lulu snicker, but it was covered up by Shelinda's squeal of disparagement, and her whispered prayers. I frowned.

"The use of machina is strictly forbidden by Yevon," Lulu told me, eyes cold. "It's what caused Sin, you see."

"That's bad, ya?" Wakka glanced anxiously at Auron, who shrugged, uncaringly.

"Let them use whatever they want," he said coldly. "They still won't defeat Sin."

"But," Shelinda interjected crossly. "It's not about defeating Sin! The teachings of Yevon must be upheld!" she stressed. I gulped. I don't even think Yuna was this passionate about the teachings of Yevon being held as sacred as this woman did. I mean… she was going a little over board, I thought. Wakka seemed to agree whole-heartedly however, much to Lulu's dismay, as her creased forehead proved when he spoke again.

"Yeah! Right!"

"But the Crusaders won't even listen to me! And it's all because I'm just a lonely acolyte…" Shelinda cast her eyes downward, shoulders slumping, tears brimming in her boring brown eyes. I don't like it when people give up. Here we all were, slaving our way down the Mi'ihen Highroad, and Shelinda was just giving up because some dude yelled at her.

"Hey! Don't say that," I scolded. She glanced up, face curious, and Auron put his head in his good hand, shaking it in silent laughter at my optimistic attitude. I ignored him. "I haven't been a Guardian for very long. Hell, I Haven't even been in Spira that long! But, I can't start to put myself down every time something goes wrong, you know? People are depending on me, they're depending on Yuna, on all of us!" Wakka grinned, nudging Lulu, who shook her head, a smile on her face. I grinned back. Shelinda was beaming.

"Yes! Yes you're right, Sir Tidus!"-there it was again! I was liking this 'Sir Tidus' stuff more and more every time I heard it. "Now I feel I have the courage to stand up for what I believe in!" I nodded, slightly unsure.

"Ah… yeah! Go… you!" I said half-heartedly, nodding goodbye as Auron pulled me back into the middle of the road.

"Tidus, there's no need to give pep-talks to _every_ person we meet along here. Concentrate on getting Yuna to the end of the road."

Another twenty minutes or so on the road, and we came to a strange looking inn, blue in colour, a odd looking, purple and yellow roof on top of it, a weird, made-up language written all over it, on the posters, the walls, the stalls. I gaped, and Auron spoke.

"We rest here."

It wasn't a question like "Would you like to stay here?" It was a direct order, and I didn't like to question him, so I smiled, and walked towards the doors, Yuna never stirring in my arms. Wakka hesitated.

"But this is an Al Bhed shop," he said stubbornly. Auron turned to him, voice curt.

"Is that a problem?"

"They… they don't believe in Yevon! And… in Luca, they kidnapped Yuna!" I felt her twitch a tiny bit at the sound of her name. Auron raised a brow, peering at everyone through his tinted glasses, his bad eye with a scar running though it lazily propping itself open.

"Really? And where were her Guardians, hm?" Lulu placed a hand on Wakka's arm, causing his gaze to waver momentarily from Auron.

"Sir Auron is just concerned about your health, Wakka," she said smoothly, hoping to distract him. He frowned, pouting like some little kid.

"I'm not tired _one bit_," he insisted, and I half expected him to stamp his foot. I moaned, and opened to the door of the inn, my arms yelping protests as I came close to settling Yuna down in a nice comfortable bed.

"Yeah, well _I_ am!" I yelled out to Wakka. Auron smirked and followed me in, Kimahri went wherever Yuna went, Lulu followed, leaving Wakka to reluctantly enter behind us, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

I was shown to a room reserved specially for Summoners, and set Yuna down on the bed. She looked like a angel, tangled up in the white sheets. I left her in peace to sleep, to go and rest myself. My room was considerably smaller, but I didn't care. As long as I had a bed to sleep on, I would be alright.

Later, I went down to the main foyer of the inn, to have a look around. I was curious to see what the difference between 'Al Bhed shops' and Yevonite shops was.

The books were all written in the same funny language that was painted all over the outside of the inn, and I figured it must be Al Bhed. I tried to make out some of it, but it was all jumbled squiggly lines and stuff, and it hurt my head to think about it.

"Lulu?"

She was sitting in the corner, trying to read one of the Al Bhed books herself, slowly mouthing the words. Wakka was sitting opposite her, a scowl on his face. She glanced up when I spoke, a brow raised.

"What time is it?" She glanced at a huge clock on the opposite wall, that had Al Bhed numbers written on it. She had to concentrate for a little moment, but she soon turned back to me and said,

"Sunset, I think. The Al Bhed don't tell the time the way we do. They tell it in stages of the day, like dawn, dusk, twilight, sunrise…" I nodded, storing this information away in the back of my mind, in one of the less crowed filing cabinets that stored all of Spira's information. I went to the front door, and stepped outside, and was mesmerized immediately by the sunset.

It was possibly even more beautiful than Kilika's. The sky was died a bloody red, like the sun had leaked it's colour all over it, bleaching it, making it fade from red to pink to orangey hues. The ocean before us was glittering, like hundreds of thousands of precious gems were woven into the blanket of sea, and like typically the rest of Spira, a huge rock ruin lay planted in the middle. It didn't take away from the natural beauty, but added to it more like- it shimmered, it's old crumbling rock worn and ancient, making me think of Besaid.

Yuna was sitting on the edge of the cliff, proper Summoner's attire back on her, fiddling with something in her lap. Her hair fell about her shoulders, and her skin glowed as the light from the departing sun swept across her, like some great wave of light. I came closer to Yuna, hoping she wouldn't ignore me after what happened today.

"…Oh… no. I can't say that, I'll… I'll do that part over…" I heard Yuna murmur.

"Hey! What are you up to?" I called, smiling. She jumped about six feet in the air, before spinning round and seeing me. What she did next totally relieved any concerns I'd had about what my actions had done to our friendship.

She smiled. Her proper, real, wondrous Yuna smile, that made me want to jump for joy, do cartwheels everywhere. She'd forgiven me!

"Hello, Tidus," she said softly, as I sat down beside her.

"Hey, Yuna…" I replied, staring at her. She blushed at my attention, averting her eyes back to look at the sunset. She bit her lip. "Thank-you."

"You have nothing to thank me for, Yuna," I said, not wanting her to make me feel guilty for thinking it was her fault that she fainted or anything. She shook her head, looking at me again.

"You carried me all the way down the Mi'ihen Highroad, just because you were sorry. You had nothing to be sorry for," she smiled as she used my words. I shook my head, sighing heavily, gaining a concerned look from her. I quirked my mouth into a little smile.

"Yes I do. I'm sorry for what happened with Elma today. I really wasn't being sick and perverted, I swear! I was thinking about stuff, how I've changed since I came to Spira, since I made friends with you… and I didn't realise where I was staring."

"Tidus… I was being silly. Why should I care who you choose to look at? But… all the same, thank you for apologising. It's accepted," she smiled widely, bowing her head. I grinned, feeling like pressure had just lifted from my lungs. We slipped into a comfortable silence, both gazing at the sky. Yuna was first to talk.

"…Pretty," she breathed, edging closer to get a better look. I nodded.

"Sure is." She sighed and glanced around. No one here but us.

"I wish… I could live in a place like this. Peaceful… living with a smile on my face every day," she said quietly, smiling softly to herself at the idea. I shrugged, being optimistic as ever. I ruffled her hair, making her glance up, smiling.

"Well, you can! Once you beat Sin, right?" Yuna didn't answer.

I glanced over at her, and saw her staring sadly at me, biting her lip. Something was wrong. What had I said? Didn't she think she'd be able to beat Sin? I knew she could, and then we could both live in a place like this… that is if I couldn't get home. Yuna shook her head sadly, making a little noise of agreement.

"But then… a new Sin will be born, anyway," she said, her voice strangely bitter. I shrugged, nudging her shoulder with my fist lightly, making her look at me. She seemed lost for a moment, and I tried to concentrate on speaking, and not her eyes. The blue one was glittering, but her green eye- her Al Bhed eye- was… _glowing_. Literally glowing! It was like she was hypnotising me with her eyes, making that strange, deep feeling make my stomach twist and turn, making me wonder what the hell was wrong with me. I shook my head talking.

"Well, then you can just beat it again!" She looked sadly at the ground.

"I… wish I could." I sighed. How come she couldn't realise how awesome she was?! She was definitely going to beat Sin, and it was going to be way easier the second time, because she would have all the Aeons, so she could just go and do what she needed to do instead of trekking across Spira again!

"You can, Yuna! Trust me! You are the best Summoner out there!" I insisted, smiling widely at her, making her giggle softly. I calmed down then, and asked her the question that had been eating at me all day long.

"Yuna? Why does Sin always come back?"

She didn't look at me, kept her face carefully expressionless, staring at the sea.

"Sin is out punishment for our vanity. And it will not go away, until we've atoned," she told me, not meeting my eyes.

"How do we do that?" I asked, shuffling closer to her. "What did we do that was so bad in the first place?" My arm brushed against hers, and I felt that jolt run through me again. With a single touch, Yuna was making my head spin round and round. She met my eyes, urging me to work this one out for myself.

Hmm… Lulu had said the use of machina was forbidden by Yevon… that was what got them into this mess in the first place.

"Hey, was it using lots of machina, or something? I get it now! … But, wait, was that such a bad thing?" I remembered Zanarkand. The only thing in that place was practically machina. It did all the jobs for us, allowing us to lounge about and do as we pleased. Yuna tilted her head to one side, and looked at me, her breathtaking features, making me light-headed.

"You know? All my life I've never questioned it. But… now that you ask me if it was that bad or not, I don't know," she sighed, looking like she was tearing herself up inside over this last statement. I placed a hand over her hand, causing her to leap a little bit, and tense a little too. I didn't move my hand.

"Well then, we're the same," I said, smiling. I stood up then, because I was getting cramps in my legs. Yuna looked really upset now, so I decided it was time to make her laugh. I squinted my eyes and hunched over, shuffling a little in front of her. She cocked her head to one side, eyes quizzical. I bowed, and then did my best imitation of Maester Mika.

"Oooh! Such thinking is very unbecoming of a Summoner!" I wheezed. "Sound like Mika?" It did the trick. Yuna's lips curved into a smile, and she began to laugh. Not her fake laugh, her real one, sweet and pleasant. She placed a hand on her chest, still laughing at me. I laughed too, enjoying the fact I'd made her happy again.

"That's not very nice, you know!" she tried to scold through her giggles. It didn't work, and she went back to laughing. I reached my hand down to help her up, and she hesitated a moment, before settling her hand down in mine, allowing me to tug her up. She stumbled a little bit from the force.

"Whoops! Careful," I said, smiling at her, as I stuck my arms out, stopping her from falling. She blushed beetroot at my touch, leaping up and worrying her teeth against her bottom lip. I felt my face go red.

_What the hell?! _I was blushing!? I never blushed! Never! I let out a little nervous cough, and heard Yuna giggle.

That's when it struck me. I should take Yuna out. I know it's pretty tactless, to just suddenly yank her off her pilgrimage and drag her someplace nice… but… I made her smile! And she was pretty! And… we always had a nice time together… Maybe she'd like it if I took her out on a date?

My palms started sweating. There was seriously something wrong with me. I've never ever been nervous about asking a girl out on a date before… I guess because I was always sure they would say yes. But… it was different with Yuna. She made me jittery, weak at the knees at the best of times, and it didn't help I was trying to ask her out. She smiled at me, and I felt the jolt again. Damn. Okay, what way should I do this?! I know!

"You know, during a game? You have to think of Blitz, and nothing else," I said hastily praying this would work. She nodded, her cheeks still slightly pink. "You can't think, 'That's a cute girl in the fifth seat from the right,'" I gave an example, pointing at her and winking, trying to maintain at least some of my dignity. She blushed again, smiling softly at me. I grinned. "And… you can't be thinking where you're going to go on that date…" I trailed off, looking hopefully into Yuna's eyes, but she was just staring innocently back at me, smile gentle, hands resting behind her back. I sighed.

I couldn't just straight out ask her. I'd already made enough of an idiot out of myself. I sighed again, smiling softly back at her.

"What I mean is Yuna… You shouldn't worry about anything right now. After we beat Sin- that's when you can worry about the future, okay?"

"I guess…" she trailed off, looking slightly disappointed, I thought. I nodded, changing the subject.

"But Yuna, how are you supposed to beat something big like that?" I asked, flailing my arms, demonstrating what I meant by big. She giggled at my flamboyant attitude.

"The Final Summoning."

I turned round, confused.

"It's the only way to defeat Sin," she paused, speaking in a pained voice, "the _only_ way. With it, was can call the Final Aeon, that's the goal of the pilgrimage," she told me, voice never wavering from matter-of-factly. I nodded, understanding. She continued.

"The Fayth of the Final Summoning, lie in the far North, to greet Summoners who complete their pilgrimages." She stopped speaking, and turned to me, eyes burning.

"At the world's edge. In Zanarkand." I gasped, eyes lighting up, hope springing up in my heart.

"In Zanarkand?" I asked, excitedly. She nodded, smiling a little.

"Kind of…"

"She means the ruins of a city destroyed a thousand years ago."

I hadn't noticed Auron sneaking up on us, and now he was stating cold, hard facts that made me angry. Why did he have to extinguish the last gleaming candle of hope I held high? I could get home! I could leave this place, and get on with my life, like none of this had ever happened! I scowled, as I knew that wouldn't be true. Some things… some _people_ were hard to forget.

"You sure it's ruins?" I asked Yuna, eyes pleading. She smiled sadly, nodding.

"That's what I've heard," she said, eyes not meeting my own. I knew she secretly wished that somehow, someway it was my Zanarkand.

"You'll see it for yourself, soon enough. Yuna, come back inside," he said the last part softly, like a father. Yuna nodded, gazing at me long and hard. Auron turned, and walked back into the inn. She bit her lip, coming closer to me.

"You will go with us? To Zanarkand?"

"Yeah… I'll go," I murmured. She smiled softly, her eyes pitiful, and she hesitantly set a white hand on my arm. I took a deep breath. "I'll go to see it with my own eyes." Yuna removed her hand from my arm, and made to follow me back towards the inn. She stopped, and turned back around to face the horizon. I shrugged, and carried on, my heavy footfalls echoing into the night. In seconds, Yuna was back at my side, eyes wide, smile small, but still there.

To try and make it all better.

My favourite kind of Yuna smile.

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**Thanks for reading! It took so long because the chapters are getting longer, there's more stuff to include, so don't hate me! Review please!

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	12. Operation Mi'ihen

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The song for this chapter was La Complainte de la Butte, by Rufus Wainwright. It's a beautiful song. That, or Malchick Gei by t.A.T.u. Enjoy.

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**Operation Mi'ihen.**

_**Tidus**_

That morning when I woke, I came straight down the stairs into the foyer of the inn, to see a peculiar looking man. Thinking nothing of it, I tried to walk past him. He rammed into me by accident. His face twisted into a look of apology. That was when I noticed his golden blonde hair and hypnotising green swirling eyes.

"_Byntuh sa_!" he said, bowing deeply to me. I frowned.

"I'm sorry… what?" I'd been doing my best to try and pick up even a little Al Bhed, but it seemed like a tricky language to learn. Not even Lulu was having much luck with it.

"I'm sorry, I meant to say pardon me, but it came out in Al Bhed," he smiled, his tanned skin shining in the bright lights of the inn. "I am Rin, owner of this establishment." He bowed again, very polite for an Al Bhed it seemed. From what I'd experienced in Spira, the Al Bhed were troublemakers. Maybe not as bad as Wakka put it, but they weren't all for keeping the peace. And their machina was annoying. "_Hela du saad oui_." I bit my lip, desperately trying to make some connection between Spiran and Al Bhed.

"I'm sorry, I really don't understand," I grinned apologetically. Rin smiled back at me.

"It means, nice to mean you," he told me. I stored this information away. _Hela du saad oui, nice to meet you, hela du saad oui, nice to meet you… _I tried to speak Al Bhed then.

"Awesome. Well… helli du said we… to you too!" I chimed, proud of myself. Rin tried not to laugh at my horrendous pronunciation, but a smile managed to sneak it's way through onto his face. I grinned back at him.

"Very good… you should try learning Al Bhed fluently. It might be… fun? Yes, fun. However, you might want to be careful where you speak our language," he warned, his shining eyes turning a shade darker. I nodded.

"Yeah… I hear the Al Bhed aren't liked very much, huh? You guys seem alright to me," I told him. He smiled kindly.

"Not many Yevonites think that… thank you," Rin said, settling down at a table. I shook my head.

"I'm not a Yevonite. I'm just… helping Yuna. …You know, Rin? When I first came to Spira, these Al Bhed rescued me on their… I think they call it a _salvage ship_. A girl was really kind to me." Rin raised his eyebrows, interested.

"Really? Perhaps I know her. What was her name?"

"Rikku," I said. Something panged within me then, that all too loud reminder that when Sin had attacked the ship… Rikku might have gone down with it… I cast my eyes at the ground, upset. Rin's eyes widened and he sat up straight.

"_Dra Bnehlacc?_ Oh, I'm sorry… the _Princess_?" I blanched.

"Rikku's a _princess_?!" I demanded. Suddenly, there was a screech of terror from outside the inn, a woman yelling. I unsheathed my sword immediately, dashing out of the inn at top speed, to see what all the fuss was about. As I emerged outside and Auron pulled his great sword out too, glancing at me.

"That's our cue," he muttered, causing me to come further out into the open space. Lulu was marching towards the chocobo pen, muttering an incantation under her breath. Yuna was beside her, staff at the ready. Wakka and Kimahri were stony faced, and when we reached the chocobo pen, we were suddenly ambushed by hissing chocobos, all squeaking and dashing away from us. Lulu gasped, pointing a top of the inn.

The biggest fiend I had ever seen was perched there, huge failing arms clutching poor innocent chocobos. It had huge curving horns, the colour of shingle, it's dark eyes red with bloodlust, it's teeth reminding me of Anima's however not as many, or as sharp. It screeched an utterly bloodcurdling yell, and all of us clasped our hands over our ears. It leapt down, losing grip on the chocobo, who ran away at top speed, squeaking, utterly terrified. The fiend roared again, and we all prepared ourselves for battle.

I used my awesome new White Magic skills Yuna had been teaching me, to cast Haste on Lulu and Wakka. Auron rammed it's legs with his sword, and Kimahri lingered near Yuna one eye on the battle, one on her at all times. Lulu cast Fira at the fiend, moving her arms in that hypnotising fashion she has, muttering the words to the spell as she went. Wakka launched his Blitzball, pumped full of Black Magic to blind the fiend, causing it to screech and flail it's arms around madly, trying to hit one of us. We all dodged easily enough, Lulu casting Thundara on the fiend. It was getting angrier by the moment.

"Now! Hit it hard, and we can push it back!" Lulu yelled at everyone, and we all rushed forth, giving our best shot at defeating this fiend. I swiped at one of it's huge clawed hands, it's blood as black and viscous as tar, seeping out all over the grass. Yuck.

Auron ran up and hit one clean swipe at it, and it fell over, toppling near the edge of the cliff where me and Yuna had sat and talked the night before. It stood up again, but was soon down due to Kimahri's strong hit with his spear. As Lulu cast Fira again, it writhed it pain on the grass, getting even closer to the edge of the cliff. However, by some miracle on it's behalf, it leapt up and managed to ram us all backwards, getting away from the edge. I swore, and Yuna ran into view. She was chanting something under breath, her concentration astounding. I felt that wonderful breeze flow through me, like a breath of warm summer's air, as Yuna's White Magic gave me strength, and all those around me. Lulu cast Blizzara on the fiend one more time, causing it to go toppling off the cliff, making a satisfying plop noise when it ht the surface of the water. I laughed out loud, high-fiving Wakka. Yuna was smiling at us all, Lulu taking deep breaths of air as she tried to regain energy after using so much magic.

Auron demanded we make ourselves scare then, but Rin had generously offered us chocobos. It would be easier to get through the roads on one of them.

Yuna bowed and proclaimed her thanks over and over again and everyone got on their chocobos. …Except… me.

"Uh… you know what? I'll just walk, it's… better for me," I mumbled. Wakka burst into laughter, and even Lulu snickered.

"Tidus, you aren't afraid of a big bad chocobo, are you?" Wakka demanded. I scowled at him, shaking my head.

"Am not! I just… I'll protect Yuna from the ground! I'll walk next to her chocobo!" I insisted.

"You won't be able to keep up with us on foot," Auron said dryly, pointing over at the chocobo pen, where a few were grazing. I took a huge breath.

It's not that I'm afraid of chocobos! It's just that I'm…_terrified _of them. Huge, giant, squawking birds! They're just unnatural! They squeak and make a fuss, and are probably even more cowardly than me! I gulped, and walked towards the pen, Yuna suddenly close at my side, smiling up at me.

"I'll help you," she said quietly, pink staining her white cheeks. I grinned, nervously. Maybe… it would be better if I had Yuna helping me. She brought me into the pen to help choose a chocobo. She pointed out one shy little male, who was timid and a little smaller than the others.

"Look, Tidus, he looks sweet. I doubt he'd be as… boisterous as the others. You could try him?" Yuna pointed hopefully at the male, who looked up at me and squawked.

"Ahhh!" I yelled, ducking behind Yuna, who laughed out loud at me. Despite being terrified, I was elated that I had gained a laugh from her.

"Hey! You're not supposed to laugh!" I poked her in the side, but she kept on laughing.

"How can I resist? It's just a chocobo! This is the moogle all over again," Yuna said, voice louder than usual, happier. I narrowed my eyes.

"It is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too! You were afraid of a children's toy, and now a big chicken!" When Yuna said it like that… it didn't seem quite as terrifying as it had a moment ago. Hearing her laugh was contagious, and soon, I found myself laughing _at_ myself, bemused at how childishly scared I must have sounded. I was supposed to be a Guardian! Some Guardian, if I couldn't even ride a chocobo. Yuna stopped laughing and turned to me, seemingly glittering in the hot sun of Mi'ihen.

"I'll tell you what. We'll ride on the same chocobo together. How does that sound?" her voice was kind again, and it had dropped a little, soft and gentle. I smiled at her.

"That sounds good," I agreed, following her to a huge female, who would have no problem carrying the both of us. Yuna smiled down at me, eyes still bright. She offered her hand down, catching mine, her touch making me shudder a little.

"Don't worry, Tidus," she murmured, her perfect Yuna smile plastered on her face, just enough to make me forget all about the fact I was on a chocobo. I was on a chocobo with Yuna! "I'll protect you!" she giggled, and with that, she dug her heels into the chocobo's sides, egging her on out of the paddock. I focused on Yuna, instead of what we were doing, clutching onto the chocobos feathers. It squeaked a little at my tight grasp and Yuna told me to loosen up.

"You'll hurt her if you pull all her feathers out! Here," Yuna dropped on of her hands from the reins, and reached for my own hand. I grasped hers, suddenly feeling a lot more at ease. She blushed a shade of magenta. "Feel better?"

"Mm-hmm," I said cheerily, earning another dazzling smile from her. I might have been wrong, but I swore I heard Auron make an approving noise. He… knew something I didn't…

* * *

We travelled on the chocobos for a good part of the day, eventually coming into a built of up area in the middle of nowhere.

"Oh no," I heard Yuna mutter.

"What's the matter?" I whispered in her ear. She sighed, and led her chocobo over to a paddock, where the others were dropping theirs off.

"We need to pass through the Mushroom Rock Road… but the Crusaders mission will probably be in the way," she replied, going to climb off the chocobo. I leapt down before her, and offered her my hand. She smiled, taking it and allowing me to help her to the ground. Two Crusaders I recognized as Luzzu and Gatta were standing by the entry way to the road, talking amongst themselves, Gatta seemingly nervous. They were bringing a big carriage in, led by a chocobo.

"Luzzu and Gatta, reporting for duty, sir!" Gatta yelled suddenly, saluting the guard who stood at the gateway.

"This is the last of them, sir," Luzzu said calmly to the soldier. He nodded his head briefly, waving them all in.

"Good job, men. Good to have you with us." Yuna's Summoner party all wandered up together, Auron leading us, looking more menacing than usual. Gatta spotted me, and waved.

"Show me how to play Blitz some time! You rock!" he yelled. I grinned waving back. Luzzu smiled, confidently.

"Wait around! We'll have Sin beaten in no time!" he said surely. I raised a brow at that, feeling Lulu stiffen next to me, and Yuna drop her gaze to the ground. Luzzu and Gatta made their way down the short path towards the opening of the Mushroom Rock Road. Auron followed, all of us keeping in tow with him. The Crusader guarding the entrance stopped us.

"I'm sorry, I cannot let you pass," he said, his face grave. He softened a little, gazing over us, eyes lingering on Yuna. "You're a Summoner, and her Guardians, right? I'm sorry for any inconvenience," he bowed, eyes sorrowful. Yuna bowed back at him, and Lulu made a hissing noise as she sighed. I cocked my head to one side.

"Hey, tell me about the operation?" I inquired, curiosity taking over once again. The Crusader regarded me quizzically, placing his hands on his hips.

"What, they didn't tell you? We're bringing Sin spawn here from all over Spira. Sin spawn inevitably draws Sin, right? We're luring it into a trap," he finished with a flourish, looking proud of himself. I quirked a brow, glancing back at Yuna who bit her lip.

They thought they could destroy Sin with some spawn and a machina? What were they going to do if the Sin spawn broke free? There was already going to be a fully fledged battle going underway, and it would only be made worse by the spawn's participation. I opened my mouth to argue, but Auron placed a hand on my shoulder, shaking his head.

"Thank-you," he muttered at the Crusader, who nodded politely, before becoming rigid, resuming his post. We turned and walked back down the way we came, emerging from the shadows of the tent that shrouded the entrance to the Mushroom Rock Road into the blinding sunlight. It was cooler than yesterday, thankfully, a light breeze rummaging through the grasses and trees.

"We'll have to find another way in, huh? Yuna? Are you okay?" I asked. She was staring, wide-eyed at the track we had come down on our chocobos, chest rising and falling heavily. I followed her gaze to the track. And was instantly as shocked as she was.

There, marching down the track like he owned the place, was Seymour Guado. The Maester who Summoned Anima back in Luca. His deep blue robes billowed around him as he walked, his long spindly fingers, and sharp talons poking out from the long sleeves making me shiver. His dark, blood red tattoos littered his chest, which was pasty. His icy blue eyes were fixed on Yuna, that twisted smirk stretched across his face. Walking alongside him, were two men. One was hunched over, and his long, spindle fingers grazed the earth beneath his feet, his other companion straight and tall, like a tree. Another thing that made them resemble tree and stump, was the fact they appeared the have branches, and vines growing beneath and atop their skin. It was green, and unpleasant looking, like severe varicose veins or something. I resisted the temptation to recoil in disgust, focusing instead on drawing Seymour's gaze away from Yuna. Wakka seemed to notice too, as he stiffened considerably. Yuna averted his gaze, by dropping to her knees in prayer.

Seymour smiled hungrily.

"We meet again, Lady Yuna," he murmured. She stood, eyes fixed on the ground.

"…Y-Yes." Seymour paused.

"You look troubled. Is there anything _I_ can do?" he said politely, coming a little closer. Yuna unconsciously stepped away. Good. That meant this guy was giving her the creeps as much as he was giving them to me.

"Well…" Yuna looked back at Lulu who raised a thin black brow, pouting her lips a little in thought. She sighed then, and Yuna focused on the entryway to the Mushroom Rock Road. Seymour nodded, striding grandly past us, an eerie wind seeming to go wherever he went.

"I see."

He stopped in front of the Crusader who had declined us passage through the road. The Crusader bowed deeply, just as Yuna had.

"Maester Seymour- please, let me show you to the Command Centre-"

"Hold. I have a request," he said coldly, causing the Crusader to straighten up and shudder a little. He remained tough though.

"Yes, Your Grace?"

"I need to have Summoner Yuna and her Guardians let through to the Command Centre," he said, sweeping an inhumanly long arm towards us, curling his fingers in beckoning. None of us moved. The Crusader blanched, stuttering.

"But… but Maester Seymour, sir…"

"Do not worry. I will take full responsibility," Seymour promised, placing a hand on his heart and smiling icily. The Crusader nodded, seemingly not satisfied with this answer, but he didn't dare question Maester Seymour's authority. Seymour turned to us, and Auron walked forth before us, Kimahri closer than he had ever been to Yuna, Lulu and Wakka flanking and me behind.

"Very well, sir. They may pass." The Crusader directed us towards the entrance with his hand, Seymour nodding.

"It is done," he said, bowing a little. Lulu folded her arms, making a little disapproving noise. I smirked. He turned and walked away, through the entry, before he saw Yuna bow deeply again.

"Thank you, Your Grace," she muttered, keeping her head down. Lulu frowned.

"Yuna? Come along, it's time to go," she stated, marching forth. She placed a hand on Yuna's shoulder, protectively. I decided to voice my opinions on Seymour to Wakka.

"Who does he think he is?" I stressed, disgusted at the fact Seymour could just flounce around and order people to go left, right and centre! Wakka chuckled, punching my arm playfully.

"He's a Maester. Better get used to it, ya?"

Beyond the passage, and out onto Mushroom Rock was a different story to the Mi'ihen Highroad entirely. They sky was dark and foreboding, the clouds angry and grey. I hadn't seen this type of weather in Spira before. The Crusaders all saluted Seymour, bowing as Yuna had. I didn't see what the big deal about this guy was.

"ALL HAIL MAESTER SEYMOUR!" they yelled loudly, robotically. Seymour seemingly ignored them, marching on by without even a word of thanks. Every time someone bowed or made a gesture to Yuna, she did it back, no matter how long it took. Seymour obviously wasn't as polite.

"Brave Crusaders of Spira, protectors of Spira! Believe in the path you have chosen! Let your faith be your strength! I, Seymour Guado, Maester of Yevon, will bear witness to your deeds today!" Seymour yelled, his face contorted in power, his Guado side-kicks snarling. The Crusaders all cheered.

"SIR!"

Wakka's face was confused. He walked forwards until he was beside Auron, who was watching the scene before him carefully.

"Hey! What's going on here? Why's Maester Seymour backing the Crusaders?! They're using forbidden Al Bhed machina, ya?! It's against the teachings!" he shouted angrily, angrier than I've ever seen Wakka. Disgust was pouring from every fibre of his being, anger radiating from his usually care-free eyes. Lulu was at his side in an instant, one hand on his arm, stroking it slightly, trying to calm him down. It surprised me when Yuna replied to Wakka's outburst.

"Even going against the teachings… they're willing to risk it for the greater good," she stated, folding her hands neatly behind her back. I stood at her side, eyes flicking back and forth between her and Wakka, her face tranquil, his fuming. "Wakka…" Yuna spoke softly. "I think Maester Seymour sees that too."

Wakka was caught off guard by this, and at the sight of me agreeing silently with Yuna, he struggled to retort. His eyes jerked nervously to Lulu, who was staring at Yuna.

"Lulu?" he asked her weakly. She paused before tilting her head so she could gaze hard into his eyes. She smiled slightly.

"Hmm… I can only speculate," she stated. Wakka slapped the palm of his hand up against his forehead, disbelieving her. She rubbed his arm one last time before dropping her hands and turning to look at the Crusaders and Seymour. I did too, but Seymour wasn't standing with them any more. He was heading, very fixated on his target, for us, without glancing sideways at anything. His eyes were fixed on one girl. Auron's eyes narrowed.

"Ask him yourself," he said, hand flinching towards the hilt of his sword. Wakka opened his mouth to speak to Seymour, but the Maester glided effortlessly past him, getting closer and closer to Yuna with every passing second. I did the first thing that came to my head. I leapt in front of her, folding my arms in a very finalised kind of way. I was impressed with myself. Seymour raised a brow, a smirk appearing on his face. He turned to the side then, bowing to Auron.

"Ah! Sir Auron. It is an honour. I would be very interested in hearing what you have been doing for the last ten years," he said smoothly. Auron shrugged, walking away so he was standing on the other side of Yuna.

"I've got nothing to say about it," he replied, just as smoothly, ignoring the momentary flash of anger pass over Seymour's imperfect features. The Guado soon regained his polite façade and smiled.

"I see. Sir Auron must be a great asset as a Guardian?" he directed this question at Yuna, whom I could feel stiffen behind me. I decided it would be best if I answered for her.

"Why, yes he is _Your Grace_," I snapped, making every effort to be a _little _polite. Yuna gasped, but Seymour just raised his brows, intrigued.

"Please…" he purred, making me shiver in disgust. "There is no need for formalities." I was about to hit him right then and there, but Wakka got in my way. Stepping cautiously towards the Maester, he bowed unsurely.

"Uh… Your Grace, sir? Maester Seymour? Why is Your Lordship… presently… present here, ya?" he stuttered. I snickered at Wakka's thick Besaidian accent, and him trying to be formal. He shot me an angry glare. I kept laughing.

"Please, speak as you would normally speak," Seymour asked Wakka. He frowned, but stood up straight, so he rivalled the height of Seymour.

"Isn't this against the teachings of Yevon? Aren't you gonna stop them?!" he demanded. Seymour remained cool.

"Yes, I should. However, _both_ the Crusaders and the Al Bhed truly wish peace for Spira. This Operation Mi'ihen was born from that wish they share, and although it may be sacrilege to Yevon, their intentions are pure. And I, Seymour Guado, the person, not the Maester- a denizen of Spira- wish them luck in their endeavour." Wakka refused to give in however.

"But… sir! Using machina! That's bad isn't it?"

Seymour smirked coldly, and shrugged.

"Pretend you didn't see them."

Whoa! I was not expecting that! I gasped, as did everyone else in our party, except Auron and Kimahri, and glanced back at Yuna, who was staring wide-eyed at the Guado, shocked beyond all measure. He was still smirking coolly.

"Beg you pardon, but that ain't something a Maester should say!" Wakka yelled, angry now. Seymour shrugged, disregarding him, like he was some worthless piece of crap.

"Then _pretend_ I didn't say it," he replied, annoyance sparking his eyes. I was getting closer to hitting him every second.

"You're kidding!"

From the first time I laid eyes on him, I never did like Seymour. He was weirdo in my mind, who had no other motives besides making Yuna feel uncomfortable. He walked away, talking to some Crusaders, and Lulu was the first to recover from shock, and spoke.

"We should be going. Djose's not very stable at this time of year. The electricity is smouldering," and she pulled Yuna down the Mushroom Rock Road towards Djose Temple, our original goal from the moment we set off down the Mi'ihen Highroad. However, we were stopped before we'd even really started by a young Crusader, who bowed at Yuna.

"Lady Summoner Yuna?" he asked, slightly breathless as he gazed at Yuna in wonder. She blushed nodding. "Maester Seymour requires your presence in the Command Centre, my Lady." Yuna gazed back at her Guardians. Wakka was still fuming from our last encounter with Maester Seymour, Lulu looked like she hadn't totally gotten over the shock, Auron's brows were raised in speculation and Kimahri's was set in stone. I grinned at her, trying to brighten the mood, and a smile flickered back to me on her rosy lips. My heart stuttered wildly.

The young Crusader directed us down a narrow pathway, saying we would have to take the long route as the shorter one was unfortunately clogged with Sin spawn at the current time. I didn't mind. It wasn't blisteringly hot here, and the atmosphere was… electrifying. We travelled in silence down the road, everyone deep in their own thoughts. Except me. I was fascinated by the colour and texture of the rock that lay scattered across the road. It was the colour of sun bleached mud, it's texture that of coral. I ran my hands along it as much as I could, wondering how it got to be this way. Lulu seemed to read my mind, walking over beside me, rather than stay near the still steaming Wakka.

"It's because of the electricity emanating from Djose Temple. It reacts with the chemicals in the rock, making it this colour and texture. Fascinating, isn't it?"

I nodded, grinning as I crumbled a small rock between my fingers.

"Who knew I could get so excited over a stone?" I asked and she gave me a rare, small smile.

"I was pretty interested in them. But living in Spira all this time and seeing it every time you come down this road kind of takes the fun out of it after a while."

I laughed. Lulu surveyed me for a moment, and I thought I saw a flicker of sadness pass through her bloody red eyes. She shut her eyes though, her inhumanly long lashes fluttering closed. Then, she bade me farewell, and went to attempt to reconcile a very irreconcilable Wakka.

We finally made it to a Crusader's hut, which was basically a small building in the middle of nowhere painted blue. I'm not kidding, that was it. I spotted Luzzu and Gatta standing to one side, Luzzu's normally calm, constructed demeanour slightly irate as he addressed the younger Crusader.

"But, why only you, sir?! I wanna fight too!" Gatta stressed. Luzzu frowned.

"Orders are orders."

"I'm not a cadet anymore sir! Let me go with you, and I'll prove it to them!" Gatta said fiercely, stepping forth and touching the hilt of his sword. Luzzu's face became expressionless, his body rigid.

"Guarding the Command Centre is important too, you know," he attempted to reason with Gatta who just rolled his eyes.

"But I came all the way from Besaid to fight Sin, sir!" Gatta yelled, anger taking over. Luzzu frowned, brows knotted.

"I know! An order in an order. Now to your post, Crusader," he ordered Gatta. Gatta shook his head in disgust, and ran off, as fast as he could go. We walked past him sprinting in the other direction, getting closer to the Command Centre. I walked to Luzzu. He smiled, and I raised a brow.

"Luzzu, Gatta deserves better," I scolded, causing the other Crusader to frown deeply. Wakka came up to me, anger still present arms crossed.

"Yeah, well at least he won't get hurt! Why are you guys fighting anyway? Aren't the _almighty Al Bhed machina_ doing that for you?!" he spat. Luzzu ignored his outburst and replied calmly.

"They still need some time to get them ready. Our job is to keep Sin at bay until they're done," he told us. I rolled my eyes. This was just stupid. Sin was gigantic, gargantuan, huge! How were some itty bitty Crusaders _ever_ going to be able to keep that thing at bay, while the Al Bhed recharged their batteries? Wakka seriously looked like he was going to punch Luzzu in the face, but he restrained himself, turning away. Luzzu sighed and stepped forth a little. I saw Lulu's eyes widen.

"Wakka… I might not get another chance to say this. It's about your brother-"

"Luzzu! Don't you dare!" Lulu yelled, her voice louder than I've ever heard it. Usually she doesn't yell, just uses scathing comments to burn you. Wakka turned around to face Luzzu, Lulu in between them, holding Wakka's arm.

"What?" Wakka's voice was weak, sad sounding, broken. I held my breath as did everyone else, and I felt Yuna whisper prayers to Yevon beside me. Luzzu took a deep breath, and faced Wakka, eyes burning.

"I'm the one who convinced him to enlist."

The words hung in the air, like they were on fire, like if anyone touched them, we'd all be burnt beyond repair that any White Magic could do. I saw the realisation hit Wakka, and Lulu moved out of his way, eyes cast down, tortured by this fact.

"I'm sorry," Luzzu stated. Wakka bit his lip, and nodded, controlling himself. I prepared to lunge forth and rescue Luzzu. Wakka was walking slowly and purposefully towards him now, hands balled at his sides.

He punched him hard in the jaw. He was going to beat him to a pulp, so I leapt behind him, clutching at his arms, holding him back as best I could.

"That's enough Wakka!" I yelled. Lulu caught his arm then too, pleading with her eyes. He stopped fighting me off, and spat on the ground where Luzzu was lying, blood staining the rock beneath us.

"When we used to play Blitz together. Chappu would always say… He'd say, ya, that once we won the Crystal Cup. He'd propose to Lulu!" I gasped, and a tear ran the length of Lulu's face, as she let go of Wakka's arm in despair. Kimahri held Yuna, stopping her from going to Lulu. Wakka spat again, his disgust ringing through my head.

"And then one day, he just runs off and becomes a Crusader?!" Luzzu managed to peel himself off the ground, and stood, hand clutching the broken tooth in his jaw. He panted as he struggled to speak.

"Chappu also said to me… that it felt _good _being with _your_ girl. But… keeping Sin far away from her was better."

I heard Lulu sob then. She pressed her shaking hands up to her face, long black nails shining, creamy skin cold and shivering. Wakka gaped at Luzzu, before turning to Lulu, face soft once more. He came towards her.

"Lu? You… knew?"

She took in a shuddering breath, trying to compose herself.

"Luzzu told me," she said quietly. "Before we left…" Luzzu was chuckling.

"_She_ hit me too." Captain Lucil's voice ran out over the intercom then.

"ALL CRUSADERS ASSEMBLE!" she demanded. Luzzu moved to go.

"That's my cue…"

Wakka stepped forth then, reaching a hand out to Luzzu.

"Hey Luzzu! Don't you die out there, ya?!" Luzzu laughed out loud, shaking his head.

"What? So you can hit me more?!" Wakka chuckled and pounded his fist into his palm menacingly.

"Yeah. Lots, lots more!" Luzzu began to walk away now, and Yuna, somehow managed to break through Kimahri's strong hold on her, running out in front of him, arms splayed like she thought she could fly or something.

"Please! Please, Sir Luzzu, don't go!"

"I have to Yuna."

Yuna's eyes were wide and pleading, her face anxious., desperate that Luzzu wouldn't go and participate in an Operation that, I think, we all knew, was going to fail miserably.

"Let him go," Auron said gently, tugging Yuna out of Luzzu's way. "The man has already chosen his path. Like you did when you became a Summoner." I frowned, confused.

What the hell did Luzzu going to try and kill himself for the good of Spira have to do with Yuna and being a Summoner? Sure the pilgrimage was dangerous, but she had us to protect her from fiends and creeps like Maester Seymour. Unless… unless they weren't telling me something? But I'd been travelling with them so long, I think I would have realised by now if I was missing out on something. Luzzu walked away, back the way we had come, never pausing, determined to go through with this. Yuna came and stood beside me, and I watched Wakka take a deep breath and turn to Lulu. She wasn't crying anymore, but her inner turmoil was clearly visible through the windows that were her eyes.

"He was gonna ask you to marry him, after we won the cup, just like we did back there in Luca…" Wakka murmured. Lulu nodded, smiling a little.

"Yes… he was. But he also said he enjoyed the fact he could have me and you couldn't. That was something I never thought Chappu would say… It shocked me a little," she said softly, as Wakka rested both of his hands on either side of her arms. The rest of us were silent, Yuna standing next to me, Auron watching closely.

"Hey… and you know what I would say after he told me that?" Wakka's eyes were shining as he gazed at Lulu. She frowned.

"No… what?"

My heart stopped, as Wakka dropped down in front of Lulu on… one knee. He took her hand, and held it tight.

"I told him, not if I do it first. And then he'd laugh at me, and say that Lulu was too pretty to marry me. And… I agreed with him, a little." Lulu's eyes were wide, her chest rising and falling hypnotically, as she gazed down at Wakka. He clutched her hand tight, pressing a kiss to it. "I'm no Chappu. I didn't plan this out, I don't gotta a ring, and I know you'll probably brush it off, and remind me we're on a pilgrimage for a Summoner in a minute. But… Lu. We've known each other since we were both little squirts living on Besaid, and… if you would… that is to say…." Wakka took a deep breath and furrowed his eyebrows in concentration.

"Lulu, would you marry me?"

I felt Yuna's hands tighten into fists, as she tried to conceal her excitement within her. Auron was smirking beneath that big collar of his, and my heart was thundering against my chest. Lulu closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. Then she spoke.

"Wakka. At the best of times, you were never very helpful. You always tried to make a joke out of things that should have been serious, you never told me everything would be okay, and when Chappu died, you avoided me! You can be irresponsible, and childish, and I_ know_ you aren't Chappu."

Wakka flinched away, his eyes hurt.

"Okay, I'll just-"

"Hey! I didn't say no, did I?" Lulu smiled down at Wakka, eyes shining. "Despite everything I just said… you're perfect… because…you're _Wakka_. So… yes. Yes, I will marry you." Wakka's eyes widened in disbelief, and he leapt up, grabbing her other hand.

"Don't ever do that to me again, Lu!" he announced, grin broader than I've ever seen. She smirked.

"Don't count on it," she murmured, before reaching up and catching his lips with her own. I blushed, feeling like I was intruding, so naturally, I did something childish to perhaps pass the message onto my friends. I stuck both fingers in my mouth, and wolf-whistled. I was surprised when I heard two whistles, glancing down at Yuna, who too had her fingers jammed into her mouth, blowing hard. I laughed and she laughed, before launching herself on Lulu and Wakka, squealing in delight for them both. I slapped Wakka's back, and gave Lulu a careful little hug, which she returned lightly, and it shocked me that she was actually very warm and dare-I-say-it… comfortable! Auron smiled, an exceedingly rare warm smile, and Kimahri nodded, his great head, baring his teeth in what I guessed was a smile too. Deciding it was time to stop standing around, we climbed up and onto the elevator that would carry us up to the top of Mushroom Rock, were the Operation was taking place.

We emerged up onto it, and the first thing Wakka did was swear and kick a machina hard.

"Ow!" he yelped, clutching his bruised foot, grinning apologetically at Lulu. She shook her head sighing.

"What have I just gotten myself into?" she asked aloud. I snickered, and walked further out onto the rock.

"Wakka really hates machina, huh?" I asked Lulu, who nodded gravely.

"Chappu… he left the sword Wakka gave him in Besaid. Your sword… and instead, he fought with an Al Bhed machina," she told me quietly, so Wakka wouldn't hear. He did though.

"That's got nothin' to do with it! I just… hate this sacrilegious contraptions!" he yelled to us, causing Lulu to raise a brow in disbelief. We carried on down the great peak of Mushroom Rock, coming straight into the Crusader's base. A huge tent had been set up, and next to it, a gigantic cage that housed hundreds of Sin spawn. I gasped at the sheer quantity of spawn that was squirming and writhing within that chamber.

"It's not even going to work," Wakka scoffed, hands on hips.

"Don't say that," Yuna whispered. "It might be a hopeless campaign, and it might mean defying Yevon, but the Crusaders and the Al Bhed are doing their very best to defeat Sin. Without the help of Aeons and Guardians. I think it's very noble of them," Yuna finished, gazing at the Crusaders wistfully. "They want to rid Spira of Sin forever, and that's just what we want. Isn't it?" she turned to Wakka eyes huge. "Isn't it?" Wakka melted at his 'little sister's' cute expression, and threw his hands up in the air.

"All right, all right! But I still think machina are bad news! They're forbidden for a _reason_!" he said stubbornly, causing Yuna to smile.

"Lady Summoner! There you are! Please, the Command Centre is that way," it was Captain Lucil, smiling and pointing in the direction of the Centre. She scowled when she saw me, and I averted her gaze, purposefully. The Command Centre was beyond a huge barrier of blue cloth, concealing it from view. We made our way towards it, taking deep breaths before we parted the cloth, and caught our first glance of Operation Mi'ihen's Command Centre.

Gatta was guarding the entrance.

"The operation will begin shortly. Please check all your equipment…" he said monotonously.

"You alright?" Wakka asked the young Crusader. He spat on the ground in anger.

"Of course not! I came here, to fight Sin, and they stick me here!" Gatta yelled in frustration. Auron raised a brow and spoke slowly, carefully.

"If you wish to prove yourself, you must first complete the tasks you are given," he stated. We left Gatta standing there, going over what Auron had said, and emerged out into the Command Centre, where an old, bald man was sitting, dressed in yellow robes with green symbols throughout. His skull cap rested on his round, egg like head, and his eyes were bloodshot and baggy, like a bloodhound's. He looked up when we moved in, and his face lit up. He stood and wobbled his way over to Auron, throwing his arms round him. I snickered, and Auron eyed me warningly.

"Ah! I'd heard from Seymour, but I wasn't sure if we would actually meet! Good to see you Auron. Ten years is it?" he asked, his voice grave as he stood back away from Auron. He remained indifferent. I craned my neck to get a better look at the guy, but Lulu just placed a hand on my shoulder, and pulled me down. She placed her lips by my ear, murmuring.

"That's Wen Kinoc, one of the four Maesters of Yevon." I nodded in understanding. Hence the freaky robes. "He leads the warrior monks, and also commands the Crusaders." Kinoc smiled at Auron.

"Tell me, Auron. Where have you been these last ten years?" Auron sighed and glanced around.

"We don't have time for this now, do we?" he asked, his voice low and bored. Kinoc looked slightly taken-aback, but carried on regardless. He was suddenly serious, darkness shadowing his features.

"This plan won't work. You know that. We'll just let them… dream a little longer." I gaped.

"What?!" I yelled. They were making hundreds of strong men and women, who had devoted their lives to the well-being of Spira, risk their own lives to try and defeat Sin today with the help of forbidden machina- and the leader of the Crusaders had just admitted it wasn't going to work, it was all a dream. They could stop all the bloodshed that was inevitably going to follow, no matter what happened next. A voice broke through our bubble then.

"Lord Kinoc?" It was Seymour, surveying us with those icy eyes. My own eyes tightened at the sight of him, angrily. Kinoc nodded, walking away from us. Auron shook his head in disgust, watching the two.

"That Kinoc, a Maester?" he said in disbelief. Kinoc stopped walking, and turned, smiling coldly, his eyes wicked.

"I heard that Auron. A lot has happened the last ten years. I'm going to ask you again. What were you doing? And where?" his voice was dangerous, but Auron merely smirked, walking towards him. I held my breath, thinking he was going to whip out his sword and assassinate one of the four Maesters of Yevon right then and there. His voice was soft.

"Fulfilling a promise I made to a friend. I still am." Kinoc stopped Auron from walking away from him, one arm stuck out, as his eyes narrowed. He scowled.

"Just tell me one thing. Have you seen Zanarkand?"

Auron made an annoyed kind of noise, before disregarding Kinoc entirely and walking away. We followed him of course, Yuna bowing deeply to Kinoc, her respect for him utmost and sincere. I pulled her along. This Kinoc guy was giving me the creeps, almost as much as the rest of these Yevon dudes were. She looked around a moment, before whispering in my ear, sending shivers ricocheting down my spine.

"I kinda… think we don't belong here," she breathed. I nodded in agreement. She could feel it too. Kinoc spoke loudly.

"It is time for the operation to commence! We must tell the Al Bhed outside that they must begin using their machina immediately. The fiends may break through. This place is not safe," he announced, striding off with Seymour close in tow. Yuna and me stood side by side as the hustle and bustle of people around us became overwhelming. "Be sure you are ready to defend yourselves!" He went and stood at the front of the cliff, that led down into a valley, where all the Crusaders were ready to fight. Some on chocobos, others simply ready to run at Sin and do their very best to try and hold it off.

"Will Sin come?" Yuna asked a guard quietly. He nodded sharply.

"It always does. To make sure, we're encouraging the spawn to call out to it-"

"It'll come." Auron cut across the guard, and stared out to the mountains beyond.

_Sin is my old man. My father. Sin is Jecht. _

_Sin is Jecht. _

"Aaah!"

I glanced up in time to see a gigantic centipede type monster baring down on us, it's huge mouth gnashing fangs, two huge shield like arms stretched out, it's stomach a pit of magic and destruction. A freed Sin spawn. It seemed to be capable of Black Magic, as it cast Thunder of Lulu, who swept her arms in a fluid motion, casting the counter spell to cease it. The thing roared, enraged and our battle began. It's head began to jiggle and squirm, and it began vomiting acid near us. Yuna cast a protective Shield across us all, and the arms covered it's stomach in defence as I tried to lunge at it.

"Destroy the arms!" I yelled to Auron and Kimahri, who in turn both began to thrash at the arms on either side of the creature's body. Lulu was busy destroying the head of the spawn, frying it with Fira and Firaga. The head became withered and grey, and I knew it wouldn't hurt us with it's acidic vomit anymore, so I told Yuna to stop shielding us, and focus on repairing Auron and Kimahri's stamina.

Now that they had finished destruction of the arms, we started on trying to destroy the stomach of the beast, which began casting Demi on us, inflicting dizziness instantly. I swung at it with my water sword, gaining a satisfying screech.

There was a huge squelching noise, and I glanced to the side, to see stumps bursting through it's sides, growing in seconds to form brand new arms. Auron and Kimahri went back to destroying them, as myself, Lulu and Wakka tried to weaken the belly of the spawn as much as we could. The arms were destroyed once more, and we weren't holding back, Lulu freezing the beast, giving it frostbite and then electrifying it. Wakka was hammering at it, his steel Blitzball cutting through the flesh. Kimahri and Auron took great sweeps at it with their elongated sword and spear, and I concentrated solely on cutting the beast as deep as I could. Eventually it screeched in defeat, giving a great huge shudder and toppling over, twitching like the insect it was. It kept giving violent shakes and convulsions, but that was to be expected. When you crushed a bug, sometimes it's limbs moved after you thought it was well and truly… well… crushed.

I gasped, as the thing fell, as the sight beyond it was revealed. The water that ran in from the ocean was being penetrated, a beast larger than life, and more hideous that anything I'd ever seen was emerging. Sin. The chocobos squealed in fear, and the Crusaders gave a resounding cheer of confidence.

"Let's go!!" I heard Lucil declare, and she was first to ride her chocobo forwards, towards Sin.

"FIRE!"

The Al Bhed let off their machina cannons, hundreds of thousands of fiery pods flying through the air at break-neck speeds, and slamming into Sin. It didn't so much as make a dent, but I saw as the pods fell beneath the water, them transform into machina sea creatures and leech onto Sin, burrowing inside it to try and blow it up from the inside out. I gasped as individual Crusaders became lost in a swarm of them, and I knew Kinoc was correct.

This was never going to work.

* * *

**Thank you for reading! I only got two reviews for my last chapter! Did you guys not enjoy it? Was the Mi'ihen Highroad boring? Did I change too much? :( I'm losing sleep here people! :) Just kidding! Please review, it would mean the absolute world to me. Thank you very much!

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	13. Djose Temple

**The song for this chapter was 'Face Down' by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. This song has so much meaning. You should check it out! :)**

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Djose Temple.

_**Tidus**_

I was leaning over, hands pressed up against my knees, trying to catch my breath after that battle with the Sin spawn. Yuna had her hand up against her head, dizzy from all her use of magic, as was Lulu holding onto a sweating Wakka. Kimahri was standing tall, gazing out at the monstrosity that was Sin, being bombarded by useless machina and even more useless Crusaders. Auron was leaning on his sword, when I caught a glimpse of his eyes widening hugely, and him diving towards Yuna, pinning her to the ground.

"Look out!" he yelled at the rest of us. We all scampered down as low as we could in behind a cluster of boulders that had fallen when the Sin spawn had toppled to it's death. My curiosity took over, and I had to peep up over the rocks to see what it was had triggered such an immediate reaction from our own legendary Guardian.

Sin was doing something weird. It was shuddering and convulsing, and a wild thought that perhaps the machina and Crusader's attempts had worked flashed in my head. But before I could follow through with this ludicrous idea, Sin seemed to shed it's skin right there. It came away, like tar, viscous, dark, staining the water it was resting in. It seemed that that was only the outer shell, as it's thick, knobbly, greying skin was revealed beneath the surface of it. It was vibrating viciously, and I swore I heard Captain Lucil yell "PULL BACK!" But it was way too late for that. Sin gave another tremendous shudder and something rippled off it's skin. A force field of electric energy was thrown off Sin's back, sending a shockwave of it across the entire expanse of the water, fanning out in a gigantic ball of sizzling energy, reaching the Crusaders. I gasped in horror, as they were disintegrated on impact of being touched by Sin's enormous attack. It swept across them, reducing hundreds of thousands of them to black ash before my very eyes. I checked to be sure Yuna's eyes were shut, but Auron had his hand placed firmly across them, concealing their mismatched colours from my view. I felt sick to the stomach, wanting to vomit on the spot at the disgust that was racing through me at the sheer thought of what had just taken place.

What was worse, I had had to witness it with my own eyes. The Crusader's all dying flashed repeatedly in my mind, Sin's unfeeling colossal form ending so many lives in a heartbeat. Sin gave a final lurch, and our hiding spot couldn't withstand it any more. We were blown apart, Guardians flying helplessly away from Yuna, me blanking out momentarily as I lost sight of the one we had sought to protect all this time. She lay, fixed to the ground, whispering her prayers to Yevon, who I feared would never hear.

Auron was only thrown a little ways away from her, and so was Lulu, Wakka and Kimahri. I wasn't sure where I wound up, but from were I had landed, I could just make out what was happening back up on the cliff edge of Mushroom Rock Road.

Yuna peeled herself from the ground, Auron standing watch over her again. The Sin spawn we had previously destroyed had somehow regained it's energy from the blast, picking itself up and squirming in that bug like fashion that it had. It let out a screech, seemingly laughing at Yuna, as she and Auron made their way towards it to fight once more. That's when I saw Seymour. He was focused, eyes cast downwards, mind fixated on the destruction of the Sin spawn without any mercy.

"Stand back, Lady Yuna," he murmured to her, and she nodded, worriedly. Seymour took a step forth and moved his hands in the same fluid motions that Lulu had when casting her Black Magic. He muttered the incantation under his breath giving a flourish before bellowing "FIRAGA!"

The Sin spawn's head was fried, just as Lulu had done before, and Seymour was smirking a little to himself. I watched Yuna twirl her staff around a little, and take a deep breath. She was muttering incantations too, and directing her magic towards Auron.

"Cura." Auron straightened up, not so weak as he had been a moment ago from our previous encounter with the fiend. He ran forth and took a grand swing at the fiend's shield like claws, but compared to Seymour's actions it barely made a dent. Seymour cast Thundara next at the spawn's other claw, causing it to shudder violently, the electricity coursing through it, finally making the arm detach itself and wither away. Yuna cast Cure again, trying her best to give Auron a fighting chance, and after another swipe, he had successfully wiped out the other claw. Now, it was Yuna's turn to practice the Black Magic that Lulu had been teaching her. She still wasn't very good, but her arm movements were graceful and well practiced, and when she bellowed, "FIRE!" the spawn gave a surprising lurch and lunged for her. She stepped neatly out of the way, leaving an open target for Seymour. He took aim once more, casting a heavy blow of Firaga, before Auron could run forth and jab harshly at the centre of the spawn. It recoiled a little, and Seymour took his chance to cast a Black Magic Spell I had never seen used before. He moved his long staff in jagged, broken motions, shouting the words of the incantation, causing Yuna to stop and glance round at him, face shocked. He took a deep breath, focusing all energy on the fiend, jabbing the staff towards it.

"DEATH!"

The Sin spawn gave an outrageous caw of pain, before writhing in agony, and doubling over. It dropped down in a heap, crumpled and curled like a bug, before it dissolved into thousands of pyre flies before my very eyes. They flew up into the sky, higher and higher and higher, dissipating into nothingness, capturing my absolute wonder.

"The others!" Yuna called, running over to the edge of the cliff, skidding to a halt. Sin was doing something bad again, and I turned my aching head to see exactly what.

A gigantic machina was set up out at sea, two great spires pointing downwards at Sin, electricity already pumped full into them. An Al Bhed hit the button to get it to start, and Sin put up it's huge radiation field once more. The electricity surged out, spiking Sin with it's harsh brightness, cutting through the shield. Sin was putting up a fight, withstanding the electrics, but the Al Bhed were not relenting. They egged the machina on, causing it to vibrate hard, and gush more and more electricity towards Sin. It had had enough. It gave a huge push of it's shield, causing it to ram backwards and hit the machina.

"No!" Yuna yelled, hands clasped at her chest, eyes wide with fright. The machina was broken in the middle, and it crumbled like sand beneath Sin's wrath, top half breaking away from the bottom, blowing up into thousands upon thousands of pieces, before cascading into the water, sending tidal waves everywhere. Eventually, the sea calmed again, and all was silent. The Crusaders had pretty much all been wiped out, and now the Al Bhed had been dealt a serious blow too. I slipped away into unconsciousness, my pounding head and aching limbs too much to bear. The soft comforting feeling of sand lingered beneath me.

* * *

When I awoke, my head was still groggy, but I didn't hurt as bad as I had previously. I managed to tear myself away from the slightly warm sand, and glance around. Oh… _damn!_

There were dead Crusaders and Al Bhed everywhere. Scattered around me, corpses lay, blood staining the pale sand, limbs detached, cold and lifeless. Others were still alive, if you could call the utter agony they were in being alive. I wished I knew White Magic, so I could help at least some of them. But I was just some useless Blitz kid, and I didn't know the first thing about curing or helping people. I stood, and brushed the sand off my shorts, gazing around. Some people looked to be okay, like they were just shaken and had a few broken bones or the like. But I knew the physiological trauma that had been bestowed upon them today would probably be too much to bear.

A lot of their friends were dead now, or so heavily injured, they would be permanently disabled for the rest of their existence.

I began walking, trying to zone out all the helpless pleas and needs. That was when I saw him. My heart fell to my feet, and time seemed to stop.

Gatta.

He was… just lying there so still… pressed up against a rock. I went to him, praying he was alive, that I could take him to Yuna and she could help him. I leant down on my knees, reaching out ever so slightly. He was paler than I'd ever seen.

"…Gatta? Come on, Gatta, wake up," I muttered, nudging him. He slipped and fell, and his… body hit the ground, unmoving… lifeless. He was dead. Sadness overwhelmed me. He was barely older than I was! In fact… I was pretty sure we were the same age! I needed to get out of here, away from here… I couldn't just stand there, alive and pretty well off considering, while Gatta's thread of life had been snapped by the cruel Fates. I stood, running now, trying to get as far from his body as I could. Hot, salty tears leaked from my eyes, and I brushed them away. I couldn't be weak now. I had to be strong. Tears were pointless.

I heard Sin yell, and glanced out to sea, to see it slipping beneath the water. And now, I whole-heartedly agreed with Auron. Sin was my father, was Jecht. And Jecht had taken Gatta away from us all. I growled.

"Don't you run away from me!" I yelled at the top of my voice, sprinting to the waters edge, anger fuelling my hatred of my father until I could absolutely feel it coursing through my veins. Without thinking, I leapt into the water, swimming as fast as I could muster, trying to catch Sin. I have no idea what I was thinking when I went after Sin that day… Maybe, I wanted to kill him, hurt him. Maybe… I wanted to go home. I kept on thinking of Zanarkand, but then my mind would flicker back to all my new friends, my new life… Wakka, Lulu… Yuna… My mind was swarming and I was suddenly hit by a strong current, that swept my consciousness away. It was terrifying when a vision was sitting in my mind, of hundreds of ghost-like people walking around. But one little boy stood out from the rest. The little boy with the hood, from my last day in Zanarkand. When me and Auron had been fighting our way towards the Sin spawn, he had… stopped the time around us, and told me not to cry. I didn't understand, and when he shook his head, a coy little smile playing on his lips, I wanted to yell at him. But he just chucked a Blitzball in my direction, and faded from view. Another sight lingered before my eyes now, this time one of my memories. It was me and my dear old dad on the boat that he had so often just left me on.

"_They say you don't practice anymore. That you're gonna retire." _

"_Let them talk! I'm still the best!"_

"_They say you're no good, 'cause you drink all the time."_

"_I can quit drinking whenever I want!"_

"_Then do it now!"_

"_What did you say?!" _

"_Y-You just said you can!"_

"…_Heh heh heh… tomorrow, maybe." _

"_Why not today?"_

"_Why do today what you can leave for tomorrow?" _

"………"

"_Uh! There he goes again! Crying!" _

… I thought I sensed my old man there. Or maybe, it was just Sin's stupid toxin playing tricks on my mind. Whatever it was… one fact was the only thing that was ringing around in my head now. _Sin is Jecht. Sin is Jecht. _

* * *

I awoke from another slumber, to find myself back on the Mushroom Rock cliff I had been on earlier. Yuna was at the head of the cliff and she was… dancing…

I forced myself to look away, not bearing to see the agony on her face. I had worked something out, that didn't particularly enamour me. People died… and Yuna dances. That's the way it went. It made me wonder when she would stop dancing… when Sin was wiped out for good I guessed. But judging on what I'd been told, Sin couldn't be wiped out for good. Sin kept on coming back, Sin was never-ending, unless we all atoned for _our_ sins.

"You're still here, I see."

It was Auron's voice. Damn. I wasn't really in the mood for a heart to heart. He didn't wait for a reply. He simply stood up straight in front of me, impressive as ever, despite the hardships we had faced this afternoon.

"Many stories ended here, today. Yours goes on, I see."

"What?" I asked him, wondering what the hell he was talking about now. But he just walked away, disregarding my question, going to see if Yuna was okay. She had stopped dancing, and was resting on a rock now, eyes haunted. I knew she must have been traumatized by the Sending, all the suffering and anguish that was probably littering the air, suffocating her. Auron placed a hand on her shoulder, congratulating her on not crying. She nodded strongly, determinedly, like she was certain she would not allow herself to portray any of the weakness she may have been feeling,. I… kind of envied her in that point. She could brush it off, pretend everything was okay, as long as everybody else was smiling. Me? I had to cry every time something went wrong. Lulu was beside me then, a very motherly look on her face. She reached down, a hand on my arm.

"You were in contact with Sin again. The toxin. Are you okay?" she asked softly. I nodded once. I noticed vaguely in that instant she asked about my well-being, just how much me and Lulu had grown to… like each other. At the beginning of all this, she despised me, for my apparent look alike to Chappu, and the fact I barged through the Cloister of Trails and completely disregarded all the tradition that they had set in stone. But… the more we got to know each other, the more we talked… I think Lu was beginning to like me. Or… maybe she was just beginning to not hate being in the same presence as me. She stood up straight and nodded, deciding to leave me alone and go and speak with Yuna. I glanced up, to see Auron squaring up to Kinoc. Interesting…

"A swift retreat. Satisfied?" Auron asked, poison leaking into his words. Kinoc frowned, the many lines on his leathery head deepening considerably.

"What do you mean?" he asked stupidly. Auron rolled his good eye, his useless one fixated on Kinoc still behind his dark tinted glasses.

"Those who turned from Yevon are dead. Those who remained faithful, live on." Kinoc frowned deeper, and surveyed Auron like he was making some assumption. He shook his head, pondering.

"The past ten years have changed you, I see," he said quietly, eyes never leaving Auron's. Auron snorted and walked away, ignoring him now.

I scowled and stood up straight, as Maester Seymour walked down the hill towards us, that idiotic smirk he always wears still plastered on his imperfect face. He went to Yuna immediately, who bowed, contrary to the fact like she looked like she was about to throw up. I stood by her side, ready to punch Seymour should he make a move anywhere near her. He paused, taking her appearance in before speaking.

"You do not look so well. But now, more than ever, you must be the people's strength. Their confidence. Anyone else would be expected to show their sorrow. But you-" he paused, pointing one long, jagged finger at her, making her eyes widen. "-are a Summoner!" He put heavy emphasis on the word, and I was about to speak up and tell him that she didn't have to be an emotionless cretin to be a Summoner. They could feel and speak up just as any person could. They were allowed to be human beings, despite the fact they were exceptionally gifted.

"You are Spira's hope. Until Sin is defeated, you must not relent. Do you understand?" he focused his watery, icy pale eyes on her, and she averted his gaze, glancing down at the ground before taking a deep breath.

"Yes. I understand," she said surely, making me want to smile. She was always so certain on her goal, so set. Not for the first time, I wondered what we would do after Sin was defeated, if I couldn't get home. Would I live on Besaid with Yuna, and Lulu and Wakka? Go to the wedding? Stay friends with them? Seymour spoke again.

"Are you afraid?" he asked, softly. Yuna seemed to think this over, not answering him. I stiffened, as Seymour came close to her, and whispered his long, spindly nails down the side of her white face. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Yuna… take me as your pillar of strength. As Lady Yunalesca had her Lord Zaon." I didn't know what this meant, but Yuna was stuttering, and I hated the fact he was making her uncomfortable. I snatched my hand around his wrist, violently tugging his filthy hands away from her.

"Yuna'll do what she wants, when she wants. No help needed from you. She has her Guardians," I spat angrily. Seymour smirked evilly at me, darkness shadowing his eyes. He flicked his wrist easily from my grasp and smiled coldly at Yuna.

"Lady Yuna, until next we meet," he said politely, stalking away, that smile still lingering. I wanted to punch his ugly face in, but I figured there was some law against doing that to Maesters, so I clenched my fists, and gritted my teeth and glanced at Yuna, who was watching Seymour walk away.

"You okay?" I asked her. She glanced at me, and nodded her head a little. Auron was tugging me away from her then, roughly shoving me into a little dark crevice in the cliff wall.

"Sin is Jecht." He said the words I had been confirming all day to myself out loud. I nodded, my hatred and anger for Seymour instantly evaporating.

"Yeah. For a while there, I thought I could… feel him," I tried to get Auron to understand. Auron nodded and turned to me, face eternally grave and serious.

"Sin is Jecht. And he came here today for you." I gaped, disgusted by this. Is this what Auron had meant earlier, when speaking to Kinoc? He had promised that Sin would come, regardless of what Sin spawn there was. … While watching me warily.

"Wait! So, Sin killed all those people today, just for a chance to see me?!" I demanded. Auron didn't nod or shake his head, he merely stated;

"That's what Sin does. He wanted to show that to you. Do you know why?" I snorted and turned away, kicking a pebble angrily in my tantrum.

"How am _I_ supposed to know?" I asked nastily, reverting into annoying, thinks-he's-a-badass-teenager mode, that Auron had supposedly quashed out of me years ago. Auron smirked and shook his head.

"So you would kill him." I turned, eyes wide. Auron continued, not stopping. "As long as Jecht is Sin, he will keep on killing. He wants you to stop him," he stated dryly. I frowned, shaking my head.

"You've gotta be kidding?" I asked Auron. I couldn't wipe out Sin! Yuna said he kept on coming back, and unless everybody atoned for their crimes and stuff, then they would never be rid of Sin. I shrugged at Auron. "How do you know all this anyway?" I questioned. He let out a low chuckle, beginning to walk away from me. I swore.

"Hey! I'm not done talking to you, don't you run away from me!" I yelled after him, anger now taking over. Why was nothing ever simple? Why did Jecht want me to destroy his Sin, and find no other way to tell me this than by ending hundreds of people's lives?

"You're the one running," Auron replied, and continued walking away, back up the hill. I took that as the signal it was time for us to leave, so I dragged my feet along behind Auron, Yuna, Lulu and Wakka, Kimahri the only one relatively close to me. This made me a little uncomfortable to say the very least. Yuna turned and smiled softly, waving at us.

"Hey! Come on you two, catch up!" I frowned and placed my hands on my hips. That didn't sit right with me, Yuna making falsely happy remarks.

"_She's_ awfully cheerful," I stated crossly. I heard a deep rumble, as Kimahri walked a little further up beyond me, his growl getting louder. He sighed, and turned to me, his wise yellow eyes shining full of knowledge and admiration for Yuna. That was the first time I heard Kimahri speak.

"In dark times she must be… she shine bright," he said, quietly I thought for a Ronso. His voice was deep and soothing, a low note of smoothness. He continued wisely. "Now are dark times. Yuna try hard." I nodded, sighing a little.

"We should help her then!" I said softly. Kimahri shook his great head, eyes sorrowful.

"If we worry, she try harder. Do not frown." He turned and walked away from me, trying to get up to walk by Yuna. I ran after him, his long strides to much for my meek little legs to handle. I snorted.

"Don't worry, be happy?" I asked sarcastically. He nodded.

"Kimahri try too," he said. I frowned.

"Well then smile, lemme see!" I chimed, smiling up at him to give an example. He bared his huge teeth, and twitched his lips upwards, and I could see the beginnings of a Ronso like smile. I grinned back, and let him catch up to Yuna, who smiled broadly, and stroked his arm. I walked a little faster, coming into tow with Lulu and Wakka, who were talking normally it seemed for two people who were engaged. I expected them to be all lovey-dovey gooey-gooey, but then again, Lulu didn't strike me as the type of gal who would be up for that kind of chit-chat. The Djose Highroad was no where near as long, or as tedious as the Mi'ihen, because I had lots of nice, pretty rock to occupy my time with, and as I walked along, there were many surviving Crusaders shuffling along too, going to rest at the temple, Wakka told me.

We were almost there when a question struck me.

"Hey! How much longer till Zanarkand?" I asked no one in particular. Wakka sighed gravely, and glanced worriedly at Yuna, who was just eyeing me blankly.

"Still a ways," he said, somewhat regrettably, I thought, like something awaited us in Zanarkand that he didn't particularly want to think about. Lulu interjected then.

"First, down the Moonflow to the Guado city of Guadosalam. I think you'll like it there," she added, smiling a little. "Then, we cross the Thunder Plains, to the temple of Macalania," she finished, thinking of Macalania. All of these weird sounding places rang around in my head, and I realised the journey would indeed be another long old way to Zanarkand. I wondered absently if anything interesting was going to happen on the way, or maybe we'd just be walking and sleeping. Yuna giggled.

"And before all of that… we get to pray at the temple in Djose!" she chided. I frowned, but a grin found it's way to my face. I walked to her, shrugging.

"We can't just skip all that, can we?" I asked hopefully. Yuna shook her head, a false smile on her face. It made me a little mad.

"I have to the Fayth in every temple in order to gain the Final Aeon," she stated. Wakka nodded.

"That's her Summoner's training. She has to prepare, mind and body, all just to Summon the Final Aeon," he said knowingly. I sighed and glanced at her.

"Must be tough, Yuna…" I said softly. She blushed and looked at the ground, biting her lip.

"I'll be fine! With… you here," she said quietly. I grinned shyly, and she smiled back, a proper Yuna smile this time that made me want to jump for joy. But instead, I just snatched her hand, and pulled her another fourth of the way up the Djose Highroad, both of us talking and laughing. Auron caught me by the scruff of the neck, before I could walk her up the final stretch to the temple, separating us.

"Listen new guy-"

"Me?"

"Who else?"

"What can I do for you, boss?" I joked, my spirits lifted from Yuna's proper smile.

"Don't tell Yuna that you know Sin is Jecht. You know her. She'd probably distance herself from you…" Auron glanced at me, a smirk plastered on his face. "And we wouldn't want that, would we?" I frowned.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Auron chuckled and walked away from me.

"Nothing… nothing at all…" he said nonchalantly.

"Hey, but Auron? Even if I did say something, no one would be believe me, you know?" Auron ceased his chuckling and turned to me, eyes serious.

"Yuna would." I thought this over… She did seem to believe everything I said about Zanarkand and Blitz, so she would probably take all that I said about Jecht and Sin seriously too. I frowned before answering Auron again.

"Come to think of it… why did I have to know about Jecht? What about my feelings?" Auron raised a brow.

"Better you finding out now, than at a critical moment and becoming… emotional." He smirked, and I rolled my eyes.

"What? Me? Emotional?!" I demanded, a note of truthfulness in my voice. Auron raised a brow.

"I seem to recall you were quite the cry baby." Anger hit me then, like a wave and I was ready to lash out at Auron, but instead I bit my tongue, restraining myself from doing something I would more than likely regret later on. Auron was right anyway. I was a cry baby, but that was then. I was trying to focus on the now of it all, and not dwindle in my past, seeing as my past contained many things that somehow connected to my future, leaving me more confused. So I just nodded, and as Auron turned to walk away towards the temple, followed him, awaiting my first glimpse of the infamous Djose Temple.

We crossed the first bridge, which gave a violent shudder causing me to lose my footing a little. Then, I realised who was standing just before the second bridge, and chocobo between them. What was remaining of the Djose Chocobo Knights. Captain Lucil saluted Yuna, as did Elma and the other guy.

I instantly avoided Elma's gaze, staring fixated at the ground. I heard her let out a little annoyed sigh.

"Lady Yuna! It is good to see you are well," Lucil said kindly, her voice fatigued, her revealing outfit ripped and torn to become more revealing. Elma winked at me. I stared purposefully at Lucil. Yuna bowed.

"Yourselves as well Captain. We were worried. Praise be to Yevon," Yuna murmured, her bow deep and meaningful. Lucil smiled sadly, a tear welling in her eye as she remembered all of her friends and companions that had died today.

"We escaped with our lives, but our troops were decimated," she said softly. Elma stopped trying to get my attention and turned to Yuna matter-of-factly, sticking her chest out and looking far too cocky for my liking.

"Of all our chocobos, only this one made it," she stated, making Yuna squirm uncomfortably a little.

"We turned out backs on the teachings. This is our just reward," Lucil said quietly, shooting a glare at Elma, who ignored her. I'd had enough then. I walked past Lucil to Elma who fluttered her lashes. I heard Lulu groan, and Yuna gave a muffled gasp. I sighed.

"Listen, Elma. What happened on the Mi'ihen Highroad was an accident. I was thinking about something, and you just so happened to be in my line of view, causing the situation to look like I was staring you up or something. I wasn't. It's not that you're not pretty, and I'm sure you're very intelligent and nice and all… but I really don't appreciate the fact you're trying to make Yuna feel uncomfortable. I know her more than you, and we're good friends. I don't really like it when someone tries to annoy my good friends," I said forcefully, causing a gaping Elma. I saw Yuna smile, shining light onto all of us, a proper smile that made my stomach turn. Lulu and walked smiled approvingly too, and Auron snorted.

Elma brought her hand up, and slapped me straight across the face. With that, she flounced off in the other direction, apparently hurt by my words. To be honest, I didn't give a damn. We continued on walking, and Yuna sidled in beside me.

"Thank you very much. For setting her straight. For…" she blushed a deep magenta and bit her lip. She sighed and then nudged me a little with her elbow. I grinned. "For… saying we were good friends. I think we are."

"Yeah… we definitely are," I stated, smiling at her. She beamed at me, and then I glanced up to see where we had arrived. A big grey stone building, with a huge dome atop of it stood before us, shaking violently ever once in a while. I gaped.

"Is that Djose Temple?!" I asked, ludicrously. Yuna nodded, bowing deeply. There was a great rumbling beneath the earth, and suddenly, the rocks that I thought were the temple flew apart, electricity sparking them on, and up, so the floated around a ball of electric light at the top of the newly formed temple. It was dark stone, and intractably carved, stunning to my eyes.

"Awesome…" I murmured. Lulu smiled.

"The lightning Mushroom Rock. It only opens when a Summoner is addressing the Fayth," she told me, a note of amusement in her voice as she glanced at my gaping features. Wakka nodded deeply.

"That means another Summoner's already in there." Yuna frowned and glanced at me.

"Another Summoner?" I groaned, thinking of the one Summoner I didn't want it to be.

"Uh, what if it's _Dona_?" I moaned, causing Wakka to chuckle. Yuna's perfect features remained grave, and she eyed me seriously.

"We have to hurry," she said softly. I took in the seriousness in her words, her eyes and nodded.

"Okay… so let's go then," I told her, making my way forwards into the temple with Yuna by my side.

We entered through the grand metal doors, the inside of Djose temple strikingly beautiful, ball of lightning sizzling were the fires had been in the other temples, the floor white marble, a unicorn mosaic inlaid. We made out way up the main aisle of the temple, facing the steps that led up to the Cloister of Trials. The doors opened, and a young man stepped out, accompanied by another man, younger.

He had soft brown hair tugged back into a tail at the top of his head, and his robes were a deep midnight blue, long and billowing, tied around the centre with a lighter blue bow. His face was tranquil, and he smiled when he saw us. He bowed deeply to Yuna, who replied his bow with hers.

"I'm sorry, may I ask your name?" he questioned, his voice smooth and quiet. Yuna smiled politely.

"I am Summoner Yuna from the Isle of Besaid." The man nodded thoughtfully.

"As I thought. The daughter of Lord Braska. You have the look of your father, you know," he stated calmly, taking her in. Yuna raised a brow.

"My father? You.. Knew him?" she asked softly. Kimahri walked past us all, and stood protectively by her side, arms folded across his wide chest. The other Summoner shook his head, a little sadly.

"No… I have never met the man… Oh! My apologies! I am Issaru. I am a Summoner, like you-"

"I'm Pacce!" a little voice chimed out from behind Issaru. I looked around him, to see a little boy, no older than eight, jumping around excitedly, his short black hair and slightly yellowish skin making him look like he was from Djose. I grinned at him, and he laughed. "Pleased to meet you!" The man who had emerged with Issaru smiled.

"And, I'm Moroda. I'm Guarding my big brother here," he said, slapping a hand on Issaru's shoulder. Issaru smiled.

"Since I was a child, I have looked up to Lord Braska. I always dreamed I could become High Summoner, like he was. You must have some of your father's talent in you. I believe someday, you will defeat Sin," he said to Yuna, who smiled widely and tilted her head to one side, gazing up at the statue of her father that sat beside the door of the Cloister of Trials. Yuna stuttered, thinking this over.

"I… I'm not really… You see, I've only just become a Summoner," she said quietly, a red blush staining her cheeks from Issaru's praise. Issaru smiled and placed a hand on his heart.

"However, I have no intention to lose either. Perhaps we can have a race, to see who defeats Sin first, no?" Yuna raised a brow and stepped forth a little.

"I accept your challenge. Very well," she said, bowing politely. Issaru laughed and nodded his head, going to leave.

"I bid you farewell, Yuna. Good luck to both of us," he said kindly, following Pacce and Moroda out of the temple, Pacce begging for food, Eroda telling him to shut-up and Issaru keeping the peace. The rest of the Summoning party made their way up the steps towards the Cloister of Trials, but Issaru was suddenly there again, calling me back.

"Hey! You!"

"Me?" I asked dumbly. Issaru chuckled.

"You are one of Yuna's Guardians, no?" he asked, bowing to me. I stuttered a little, before he continued. "Moroda's heard a curious rumour." Moroda stepped forth nodding.

"I heard it from some Crusaders. Seems that Summoners have been going out on pilgrimages and just… disappearing."

"It could just be the fiends got to them… but no so many so quickly," Issaru added to his little brother's statement, stepping forth and eyeing me cautiously. What the hell did he want me to do about it? Start a search party for- Oh. He was telling me this so we would be extra careful Guarding Yuna!

"I'm sorry I don't know more, just watch your back. Ain't much future for a Guardian without a Summoner, eh?" Moroda asked, grinning at me. I sighed and nodded my head a little. He was right after all. Pacce was tugging and Moroda's arm.

"What?! What?! What're you guys talkin' about?!" he whined. Moroda scowled.

"We're talking about doing your job as a Guardian!" he hissed. Whoa! This little tiny kid was a Guardian?! Could kids even be Guardians? It was awfully dangerous for someone that age, considering all the times we'd almost been toast. Pacce pouted and ignored Moroda turning to Issaru.

"I'm doing a great job, right big brother?" he asked, smiling up at Issaru you patted his head, smiling down kindly.

"Please be careful," he added to me, pulling his brother by the hand towards the door. I shook off the shock from the news a child could be a good enough warrior to be a Guardian before grinning and saying thanks.

"Will do!"

I made my way up the steps then, entering the Cloister of Trials to see Wakka giving everyone a pep-talk. Yuna saw me come in, and smiled brightly. She turned to Wakka and placed a delicate hand on his forearm, cutting him off.

"We are ready," she said quietly. He nodded then, and began directing us down the Cloister of Trials. Auron told us that we had to create a pattern on the floor with the lightning spheres, so we worked together, hunting for blue Djose spheres to insert into the recesses in the walls. We searched high and low, until we had successfully gathered all four spheres needed, and popped them in at the same time. A strange symbol lit up the ground we stood on, like a eye, watching us. It opened a door to another room, which was pretty simple, us just having to gather a few spheres and slide them into the correct recesses that made the sparking electric chandelier above us becoming buzzing with energy, until it shot down a beam of the stuff, striking the correct place on the floor, opening up the door to the Chamber of the Fayth. I couldn't help but cheer, however considering the cold looks that were tossed at me afterwards, I decided not to do that again.

We entered into the chamber, letting you go on ahead to pray to the Fayth. I watched her go, when I heard the most annoying drawl of Dona.

"Well… well… well. Still travelling with quite the crowd, I see," she said cruelly, as Barthello grunted before going and standing before Auron. Dona rolled her eyes, hands on hips. "What is it Barthello? You know this riff-raff?" she questioned, brows raised. Barthello gave a sharp nod, and then bowed at Auron.

"You are Auron, no?" Auron raised a brow.

"What of it?"

Barthello looked at the ground, and then meekly glanced up at Auron, fumbling for words.

"Can… I… shake your hand?" he asked nervously. I wanted to burst into a fit of giggles at the look on Dona's face. It was a mix between shocked, disgusted beyond all belief and confused. This resulted in her mouth being contorted, and her eyes almost going crossed. Barthello continued. "Auron- no, Sir Auron! You're the reason I became a Guardian!" he insisted.

Auron chuckled quietly, before reaching out his good hand and clasping Barthello's outstretched muscle pumped hand. He let go, and gave the younger man a small, rare Auron smile. He bowed graciously, proclaiming thanks.

"Thank you so much, sir! This means so much to me!" Wakka laughed at Dona, who blushed, making her russet skin a shade darker.

"Calling the personal Guardian of Lord Braska himself riff-raff?" he asked, chuckling. Lulu smirked at his side, tilting her head to one side, like she was addressing a confused little child. She batted her unnaturally long black lashes.

"And you call yourself a Summoner," she said softy. Dona swore angrily, causing me to recoil. I didn't know ladies, or Summoners were up to that kind of language. And hell, a lady Summoner definitely shouldn't have been. She stamped her foot, and clicked her fingers together, like Barthello was a dog.

"Barthello, _enough_! Come here at once!" she snapped, and just like a dog, he obediently trotted to her side. The door to the Chamber of the Fayth gave a jolt, and opened wide, revealing a stumbling Yuna. Her face was pasty, her hair sweat darkened at the roots. Her arms and legs were shaking, and she made it three steps before collapsing. Luckily, me and Kimahri had foreseen this, and were sitting ready with out arms stretched out before her to catch her when she fell. Dona's cold laugh rang through the room, and Yuna glanced up, the colour drained from her face, eyes lost. Dona came closer, sweeping past the others like they were useless pieces of decoration.

"You owe much to your father," she sneered at Yuna. "All these Guardians and Sir Auron too? I hear Maester Seymour is also quite taken with you. The world must look different when you're the daughter of Lord Braska."

"This has nothing to do with my father! I am travelling on my own, as a full-fledged Summoner," Yuna insisted, although it didn't do much good as her voice was as weak as she was. Dona smirked.

"Is that so? Then try standing on your own two legs for once. Your Guardians won't be able to protect you when the time comes." And with that, Don sauntered her way into the Chamber of the Fayth, leaving Yuna to heave herself up and stand sadly whilst we rushed to console her.

After making our way out of the Chamber of the Fayth, we took rest in the inn next to the temple. I had a lot to think about. I had realised how much of a similar situation Yuna was in to that of me in Zanarkand. Being constantly ridiculed and told that she wasn't good enough, it was all the skill her father had had shining through in this child, that se couldn't do anything on her own, and all her achievements were because she had a famous father. That had been the majority of my childhood, no one believing I could actually play Blitz, only that my father was so good that I must have been able to at least throw a ball around. And who the hell did Dona think she was speaking to Yuna like that? How dare she?

Another thing that began to eat away at me… what had Dona meant when she said we wouldn't be able to protect Yuna when the time came? I mean, we were her Guardians, it was out sole duty to assure that no harm came to her, and that she could get through this pilgrimage always knowing that no matter what took place, we would always be there to make sure she was okay. These were the thoughts that was stampeding through my mind, when I finally fell into an distressing and downright uncomfortable sleep.

* * *

When I awoke the next morning, the dismal, overcast sky of Djose greeted me, and I scowled, wondering if I would see weather like that of the Mi'ihen Highroad, or Kilika or Besaid again on this pilgrimage. Sure, I might see it if I couldn't find a way home and we went back to Besaid to stay… but something told me… I wouldn't see Besaid for a long time. I didn't like that feeling at all, and decided to go look for Yuna in the temple. She'd been given a special room that was reserved for Summoners there.

I entered into Yuna's room, to see her sprawled out across the bed, boots removed, sleeves off, sash discarded, blankets thrown about her like she'd been tossing and turning. There was a woman standing at the end of her bed, smiling down at her sadly. She glanced up nervously when I entered, but upon seeing me, her face relaxed, and she pressed a finger to her lips.

"She was up until dawn," she whispered, watching Yuna adoringly. "Healing the wounded, Sending the fallen." I nodded. She must be exhausted.

"Okay… I guess I'll just let her sleep for now then," I told the woman, turning to leave. I heard rustling behind me then, and turned to see Yuna opening her eyes and stretching.

"I'll go fetch something to eat for her," the woman said, bowing before leaving. I went and gathered Yuna's discarded clothes, She sat up in bed and saw me.

"Tidus!" she yelped, covering her bare chest over. She had removed her white over shirt, and her black bikini was all that remained. I blushed and averted my gaze.

"Uh… morning! J-Just getting your clothes," I said, stuttering. Grr. It as happening again. Yuna was making me self-conscious and nervous! This wasn't supposed to happen. Yuna's eyes widened, and her shoulders weren't as stiff.

"Morning?" she breathed. I nodded, still averting my eyes as I picked her yellow sash up. I looked up, and locked gazes with her. She smiled softly, keeping the blanket settled over her chest as she reached over for her other clothes.

"It's okay. Take as long as you need, you had a rough night," I amended, shutting my eyes as she stood and put her arms through the sleeves of her white shirt. She flicked her hair out the back, and tied her blue necklace on tight. Then, she wriggled into her long black boots. It would take a while to lace them, and I wondered absently if I should leave.

"You can open your eyes now, Tidus." I heard a note of amusement in her voice as I did just that, watching her tie the long laces of her boots expertly. Finally, she stood, and picked up her sash, glancing at me.

"I… don't suppose you could help me with this? Lulu normally does it, but I don't want to bother her…" she wrapped the sash around her slim waist, and turned away from me. I wondered what the hell I was supposed to do. Yuna glanced round at me, brow raised. "Uh… could you tie it?"

"Oh! Right! …I'll try," I said, going to her and taking the yellow sash from her. Her arms fell to her sides as she waited for me to tie the bow.

Damn. Why the hell didn't I ever learn how to tie a bow?! I brought one side over the other, and they just became a tangled mess. I tried again, but it worked out even worse. I decided to distract Yuna from my heinous bow tying with some reassuring conversation.

"You should just ignore Dona, you know. And anybody else who tries to put you down because you're better than them. Dona's just jealous, because your so beautiful and she's a skank-"

"Tidus!" Yuna gasped my name, but started to giggle a little. "…She doesn't dress very appropriately for a Summoner, huh?"

"No way! All the other Summoners I've seen are decked out in huge robes! Or… you're wearing like six layers. She's in a bikini, a thong and a fancy sarong. She needs to realise this ain't Kilika any more," I said, making Yuna laugh more. She let out a slow breath and then spoke softly.

"Tidus?"

"Hm?"

"Do you really think I can do this? Excluding the fact Braska is my father. Do you… think I could do it without his help?" I frowned at the low confidence behind those words, and concentrated hard on her bow.

"Totally Yuna. You're an amazing Summoner… And I meant what I said about Dona being jealous because she's a skank and your beauty makes her mad." Yuna sighed softly and smiled.

"You think I'm… pretty?" I blushed terrifically, and thanked my lucky stars she couldn't see my face.

"…I… think I said you were beautiful. There's… a difference." She was silent after that remark, pondering what I had just said. Finally, I produced a half decent (not-really-but-still) bow, and led Yuna outside where the others were waiting. Wakka laughed.

"Yo, sleepy head!" he called. Yuna blushed and bowed apologetically.

"I'm so sorry!" she frowned at Auron. "Please, forgive me, Sir Auron." Lulu laughed at Yuna, and then walked forth.

"There's no rush Yuna. Here… your hair!" she couldn't stop herself from laughing, and I noticed for the first time Yuna's parting was messed up, and she hadn't brushed her hair. Wakka tutted jokingly, putting on a mock-serious face.

"A Summoner with bed hair?" he demanded, going behind her and ruffling her locks. "What's the world coming to?!" Yuna scowled.

"You could have woken me up!" Lulu laughed and stood behind her with Wakka.

"We tried, but with all that snoring…" she trailed off, glancing at him, and the too laughed at Yuna. She sighed and laughed a little.

"Hey! What is it today? Everyone's picking on me!" she insisted. We all laughed at her then, and she giggled too, getting over her annoyance that we were all picking on her. But then Auron started chuckling, and Yuna gasped.

"Sir Auron! You too?" she asked, eyes playful, expression hurt. Auron kept chuckling, and then petted her hair.

"Once Lady Yuna fixes her hair, we can leave."

Everyone was laughing then, and I realised that that was the first time we had all really just laughed and talked together as… a family, I guessed. That was when Lulu noticed the one thing I had been praying would remain unnoticed.

"…Yuna? What happened to the bow on your sash?"

* * *

**A hee hee. Tidus is silly. I adore him :) AHH! Rikku= NEXT CHAPTER! I'm crying here! I love her!! :) Please review, I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always! ;) **

**Also, yes, I was supposed to have a beta for this chapter, and someone kindly accepted, however there are some problems going on with DocX connections at the moment, and I couldn't wait another day to put this up. It's been done for like a WEEK! **

**A piece of random fact here that I feel I need to share with you; I finished Ouran High School Host Club for the second tiem today with my little sister. Hee hee, 7 episodes! 3 1/2 hours! Whoop! :)**

* * *


	14. Rikku

****

Song for this chapter was 'Coming Back to Me Now,' by Meatloaf. Just to warn you there will be no Auron/Rikku. Lol. Rikku/Gippal forever!

* * *

**Rikku.**

_**Tidus**_

We departed from Djose Temple not long after that. There wasn't any reason to stick around, and we had to cross the Moonflow before it got dark. Lulu said it would take a while to get there by walking, but I didn't mind. The weather was mild, and being in the company of my friends was enough of a distraction for me.

"So, the Moonflow?" I asked aloud. Lulu smirked.

"Yes. We have to cross it to get to Guadosalam." I grinned and punched a fist in the air.

"Alright! Moonflow, baby, here we come!" Auron chuckled lowly at my enthusiasm, and Wakka caught me around the neck for a slap across the head. We walked for barely any time at all, when we came across two Ronso that I recognised as the ones who had threatened Kimahri in Luca, before Yuna had been kidnapped by Al Bhed. I groaned as we approached. I wasn't really in the mood for fisticuffs with a bunch of Ronso troublemakers. One shouted out at a worried looking guy, who was running away from them.

"Look! There another of Kimahri friends! Looks just like him!" he yelled tauntingly. I couldn't _not_ ask. I tried, but it just came out.

"What?"

He turned to me, and gave me a cold sneer, as he jested Kimahri.

"Both follow Summoner on _all_ _fours_. Hornless goat-lings!" he said, loud enough so Kimahri could hear the cold taunts they aimed at him. They began to laugh cruelly at him, pointing their long furry fingers, their deep, rumbling laughs echoing up into the sky. Kimahri frowned, and was at my side in an instant.

"You come to insult Kimahri?" he asked, his voice portraying no emotion whatsoever. The Ronso stopped laughing, and the one with the straw like hair sneered again.

"Wrong. We come to warn _little_ Kimahri," he said coldly, glancing at the other Ronso who nodded his great head.

"Summoners disappear. Never return," he said, his voice like the scrunching of gravel beneath ones feet. A shiver ran down my spine, and I shuddered at the thought of that. "Next, will be Kimahri Summoner." The other laughed at him.

"Poor Kimahri! Lose his horn, now lose his Summoner! Pitiful Kimahri, howl alone, howl alone!" he jeered, both of them dissolving into fits of cold laughter. Before I knew what was happening, they'd picked up and taken off, running down the pathways and trails that scattered these hills. I glanced up at Kimahri, curious.

"Those two… got something against you?" Kimahri closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. I frowned. "What? They were just picking on you?" Kimahri sighed, and remained staring after them, not glancing at me.

"Kimahri will deal with them." I sighed, and then an idea lit up my head. Kimahri was always so self-dependent. I'd show him he had true friends, friends he could definitely rely on.

"I'll help!" I shouted, trying to cheer him up.

"Kimahri alone."

I was about to retort, and tell him my previous thoughts, but Wakka cut in, tugging me away and surveying me wisely.

"It's Kimahri's problem. You can't interfere, Tidus! It's a rule," he stated seriously, and the non-joking tone and stoic face made me want to laugh. Wakka was never so serious!

Lulu however, was a different story completely. But she wasn't speaking to me, she was addressing Wakka when she next spoke, folding her arms and watching him with ruby eyes.

"I'm worried," she said quietly. Wakka sighed, throwing his hands in the air.

"Let the Ronso deal with Ronso problems, ya?! That's how it's always been," he said, not budging from his point, looking a little like a stropping child who couldn't get his way. Lulu sighed, and walked to him, and I watched his exterior melt as she did so. I almost laughed. It was unbelievable to see just how much Wakka really adored Lulu.

"I _mean_, about those Summoners disappearing," she said, raising a brow at his idiocy. Auron's voice was cold.

"They aren't just disappearing into thin air." I sighed, and tried to maintain my upbeat look on the whole issue. The answer to this problem seemed blindingly obvious to me!

"Hey, if we Guardians do our jobs correctly, then no problem, right?!" I asked, smirking at Auron who raised both brows. Wakka drew in breath sharply and a smile tugged at Lulu's lips.

"Confident, are we?" she asked, and rolled her crimson eyes at me. I grinned cheekily, ignoring her.

"Yeah!"

The rest of the way was short, and we didn't meet another person along the road, so we were each left to our own thoughts. Mine were idle, mostly about what was so special about the Moonflow, what Guadosalam looked like, how cold Macalania was… Until finally, we reached a parting in the trees, which led out towards the Moonflow. I gasped in wonder the first time I saw it.

It was like a gigantic lake, but it didn't seem to be just water flowing through it. A mixture of greens, pinks and purples sifted in and out between the gentle current, pyreflies fluttering lazily just above the surface before totally dissipating away into the sky. Lilly pads rested on the surface of the water, each with it's own unique quality, one shimmering green, the other sun in the sky yellow. I couldn't help but gape at the sheer beauty of it, at the tantalizing smelling vapour that was spiralling gently up from the surface. Lulu smiled as she stood beside me, taking a deep breath in.

"This, is the Moonflow," she told me, as I continued to gape. I noticed huge purple flowers dancing on the water, and watched as the pyreflies were emitting from them, continuing the flower's majestic dance to the sky. Yuna leant down and reached her hand towards one, stroking the petals.

"These are moon lilies. They say that at night, clouds of pyreflies gather above them…" she trailed off dreamily, gazing at the moon lily. Lulu nodded, sounding faraway too as she imagined it.

"The entire river glows… like a sea of stars," she said softly, gazing at the moon lilies.

"Really?" I murmured, too becoming lost in the beauty of the lilies. Then, a thought hit me. I leapt up, grinning widely.

"Hey! I got an idea!"

"We're not waiting till nightfall," Auron droned, totally bursting my bubble. I sighed, dejectedly.

"Awwh…Well, then once we beat Sin-! We're coming back!" I said finally, smiling at everyone. Kimahri's face remained stony, as did Auron's. Lulu gaze became sad as she watched the lilies, and Wakka purposefully avoided my own eyes. I glanced at Yuna, worried. What was the matter? She was staring fixedly at the lily she had toyed with a moment ago, eyes lost as she thought. The lily spurted a cloud of pyreflies up, and they caught her hair, making it flicker around her shoulders, the pyreflies only adding to her beauty. Something was wrong- why couldn't we come back to the Moonflow?! Wakka cleared his throat and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, we better hurry, or we'll miss the Shoopuf," he said, obviously trying to distract me. Stupidly, I fell for it, grinning broadly.

"Shoopuf? That some kind of boat?" I asked, confusedly. Wakka nodded, pointing over to a built up area near the edge of the Moonflow. I couldn't see right, because a thick clump of trees hid most of it from view, so we moved along from the riverbank towards it, to catch the supposed 'Shoopuf.'

We emerged into the clearing, and I spotted the Shoopuf. It was really kind of hard to miss.

"Whoa!" I yelled, smiling broadly at the sight of the great and gentle beast. It was a big, lumbering green thing, and had a mottled shiny green and blue nose that curled all the way around stretching the length of a Blitzball stand. It's head was huge and docile, eyes lazy and half open. It was shuffling towards the Moonflow, it's great feet making thundering noises as they hit the earth beneath my feet. I noticed it had a big travelling carriage strapped to it's back, and figured that's were we would be riding on. I was so excited all of a sudden!

"This is a Shoopuf!" Wakka said happily, pointing up at the gentle beast. I grinned hugely.

"C'mon! Let's ride, let's go!" I begged, eager to get onto the damn thing already. I glanced at Yuna who was smiling softly.

"I can't wait to go back on one!" she said, happily too. I gasped. She'd been on one before?

"You've been on one of these things?" I asked her, incredulously. She smiled, nodding.

"Once, ten years ago with Kimahri," she turned to her big blue Guardian. "You remember?" Kimahri smiled, and nodded his great head.

"Shoopuf move, Yuna fall in water. Shoopuf scoop Yuna out of water with long nose. Yuna jump in three more times for fun." He seemed like a disapproving parent in that moment, and I laughed with Yuna at his face.

"Kimahri worried. But Yuna have fun. Kimahri happy." I couldn't wait another second then, so together, we boarded the Shoopuf, and I prepared myself, as it slipped easily into the deep, vast waters of the Moonflow, slowly bobbing along. It was awesome.

"Hey, take a look down below," Wakka said to me when we were barely two minutes into our ride. I shrugged and stood, leaning over the side of the carriage.

"Whoa!"

Beneath the surface of the water, was crumbling ruins, towers, streets, houses and halls. Algae and mould grew thick on the rock, and the majestic waters of the Moonflow bathed the ruins in it's mysterious glow, illuminating it in a wondrous light that made if seem even more foreign and ancient. I gasped.

"A sunken city?" I asked Wakka. He nodded.

"A machina city, a thousand years old. They built the city on bridges above the river," he began, but Lulu cut across. I think she really enjoyed telling me all of Spira's facts.

"But the weight of the city was too much, and it sank to the bottom of the river," she said, gazing at Wakka who smiled back at her. I tilted myself further over the side to look harder at the city beneath us.

"Right, it's a good lesson," Wakka stated. I frowned.

"A lesson?"

"Yeah! Why build a city over a river?" he asked me. I pouted, trying to think of an answer.

"Uh… well, it would be convenient with all that water there," I attempted to reason. Wakka sighed and shook his head, like the answer was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Nope, that's not the reason! They just wanted to prove they could defy the laws of nature!" I sighed and pulled back. I seriously doubted that had been why they built the city over the Moonflow. I mean… we weren't that obnoxious and evil a thousand years ago… were we?

"Mm… I don't think that's the reason," I said slowly, hoping I wouldn't offend Wakka. He refused to listen to me.

"Uh uh. Yevon has taught us, that when we humans get power, we just use it to our advantage, and don't think of anyone else!"

Somehow… I got the feeling Yevon wasn't telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Humans didn't just use the power they received to 'defy the laws of nature' as Wakka put it, or to play all day while their inventions worked. Humans used new techniques to heal, and cure. Although White Magic was good for that sort of thing, Yuna had told me it was a dying art. Not as many people were learning it, so they must be doing more research into the care of others. And when they learnt that information, they wouldn't be using that power to defy the laws of nature. They would be using to help others. I wondered if somehow, that had been why the city was built over the Moonflow. Maybe they were trying to use the magic from the Moonflow to heal, or work or something. I glanced at Wakka.

"Don't you use machina too? Like, the stadium and stuff," I pointed out, going to sit back down again. Lulu spoke instead of Wakka.

"Yevon decides. Yevon chooses which machina we may use, and which we may not," she told me, watching Wakka warily. Well that didn't make _any_ sense. That was just stupid! They yelled at the Al Bhed all the time for using machina, and then flounced off and used whichever ones they deemed acceptable!

"So what kind of machina _may we not use_, then?" I asked, wondering aloud. Wakka snorted.

"Remember Operation Mi'ihen? _That_ kind," he said coldly, fists clenching at the mere thought of it. Lulu rested a hand on top of his fists and looked up at me.

"Or war will rage again."

"War?!" Yuna answered my question this time. I vaguely noticed I was still standing around like an idiot.

"More than a thousand years ago, mankind used machina to kill," she said softly, eyes sad. Wakka nodded.

"They kept on building, more and more powerful machina!" Lulu nodded in agreement, her long black lashes fluttering against the wind hitting us.

"It was thought they could destroy the entire world." Yuna's face was distraught as she relayed to me how Spira had become undone, and how Sin had come to be born.

"The people feared the destruction of Spira-"

"But they did not stop!" Wakka cut across her, angry now, gritting his teeth, as he thought of those people, who threw away all hope of a peaceful future for Spira, just because they liked building machina.

"W-What happened next?" I asked cautiously, wondering if I really needed to know. Yuna sighed.

"Sin came. And destroyed the machina, and their cities." Lulu smirked coldly, eyes faraway as she contemplated it.

"The war ended. And our reward was Sin." I distinctly heard a bubbling noise beneath us, like the whirr of a motor, like the clank of machinery. I tried not to pay attention to it, focusing on all of the people's faces, from Wakka's furious one, to Yuna's upset one.

"So, Sin's out punishment for letting things get outta hand, eh," Wakka said, folding his arms. My nose wrinkled and I rubbed the back of my head.

"Whoa. That's rough," I said quietly. "But… the machina can't all be bad…" Lulu nodded her head, agreeing with me, although watching Wakka carefully.

"Only as bad as their users," her voice was soft and emotionless as ever, and Wakka pounded his fist onto his knee.

"It's because of people like the Al Bhed, screwing everything up!" he yelled, his hatred for the Al Bhed seeping out. I saw Yuna flinch, and bite her lip a little, shutting her eyes, her glitteringly hypnotising green one fading from view.

Suddenly, the Shoopuf gave a huge lurch, and giant banging and clanking sounds were heard. All of us leapt up, Wakka peering over the side. He swore.

"It's the Al Bhed!" he yelled. Auron turned to Yuna, forcing her down.

"Sit down!" he commanded. She blanched.

"Sorry-_ahh_!" Yuna was halfway to her seat, when a yellow gloved hand reached forth and grabbed her around the neck, muttering something to her in Al Bhed. The man tugged Yuna back down with him, holding her hands clasped behind her back, and his hand firmly over her mouth. I didn't think twice, before diving headfirst in after them, my only intention, my only goal- that of saving Yuna. I hit the surface of the water with a resounding splash and heard Wakka do the same. The lights of the pyreflies and the mysterious colourful water loomed and ebbed around me, but I wasn't concentrating on the beauty of the Moonflow anymore. I was focused on Yuna, swimming as hard as I could after her and the Al Bhed man.

The machina that was before us was huge. It's whirring motors were old and rusted, but the exterior of it, resembled that of an octopus, the end of it's copper tentacles glowing balls of light. Yuna was being held in the centre of the machina, a round electric, sizzling force field separating her from us. She was doing her best to try and break through, but to no avail, so she prayed instead, casting Haste on the both of us for luck. The Al Bhed didn't hesitate to launch a full blown attack, the second Wakka aimed his Blitzball. The machine's side split in two, bright white missiles firing out towards Wakka. He dodged, but was grazed heavily on the shoulder by one of them, and blood stained the water. I tried my best to launch an attack, swimming forth and jabbing the machina with my sword. Wakka recovered quickly, not wanting to waste any time in saving our Summoner.

I thought hard. We need something to help get this thing down quick. The longer Yuna was away from us, from me, the more I needed to have her back. I remembered Auron telling me about a technique he called 'Overdrive'. He had told me to centre myself, to focus all of my energy on the task at hand, what I wanted my White Magic and sword to do for me. I thought hard, gathering my strength, thinking of when I was preparing for a big hit in Blitz. I imagined my sword charging itself full of magic, being sizzling with the stuff, ready to devastate the machina. After a moment of this, I leapt forth, the Haste spell Yuna had cast working to my advantage, allowing me to dodge a jab from the machina, and launch my Overdrive at it. It dealt a considerable amount of damage and Wakka gave me a thumbs up, before hitting the machina with his Blitzball again. I felt drained and weak after my Overdrive, and knew I wouldn't be able to perform one for a good while. So, I settled with quick swipes of my blade, and Wakka pumping his Blitzball full of Black Magic before launching it at the Al Bhed machina, and causing it to shudder and whirr uncontrollably, obviously malfunctioning. I swam forth as fast as I could, the force field down.

I snatched Yuna around the waist, and she fastened her white arms around my neck, helping me kick towards the surface and clamber back onto the Shoopuf, out of breath and tired. We were all sopping wet, Yuna's dress sticking to her skin, my hair plastered to the side of my face, Wakka's absorbent Blitzball uniform the least scarred of us all. Lulu leapt up, and was at Yuna's side in and instant, smoothing back her hair from her face, Kimahri putting his great, furry arms around her in an attempt to warm her up.

"Are you alright?" Lulu asked, voice high and worried. Yuna smiled softly.

"I'm fine, thanks to Wakka and Tidus. Tidus did one of those Overdrives you were talking about, Sir Auron," she told her oldest Guardian. Auron quirked a brow at my panting form.

"Is that so?" Wakka growled, yelling up into the air.

"Urrghh! Damn those Al Bhed!" he raged, stamping his foot. The guy riding the Shoopuf called back to us.

"Ish ebbiboty okay?" Yuna leapt up, upset that she had caused him trouble.

"I'm sorry! We're all okay now!" Auron sighed, and addressed her curtly.

"Yuna!" She sat back down, staring at her hands, Kimahri fixing his arms around her, me and Wakka trying to dry ourselves off, even a little.

"Shoopuf, full shpeed ahead!" the little man called out. Wakka sat down.

"_Damn_ the Al Bhed! Why are they after us? Could it have something to do with Luca? What are they after Yuna for?" he asked himself, sorting through all the facts in his head. I saw Yuna's eyes flicker to the side and meet Lulu's. The Black Mage sighed and continued brushing Yuna's hair.

"I know! They're mad about losing the tournament! No, wait, I know! They're mad about Operation Mi'ihen! No, no wait! I know-"

"I wonder… didn't Kimahri's clansman say something? About… Summoners disappearing?" Lulu cut across him, calm exterior reapplied, gazing at Yuna with relief still clear on her handsome face. I nodded and glanced at Wakka, who looked like he'd just had a revelation.

"Ahh! So the Al Bhed are behind _that_! Those sand-blasted grease monkeys!"

My laughter burst out of me, in a sharp bark. Grease monkeys? How long had it taken him to come up with that?! Everybody was so tense, so I leant back in my chair.

"Hey, Wakka, there's no use complaining about the Al Bhed now, right? We'll protect Yuna from anyone, anywhere. It's that easy. That's all I need to know," I said, jabbing myself in the chest with my thumb. Wakka sighed and looked at the ground.

"I guess so." Lulu nodded in agreement.

"You're right."

I glanced at Yuna, and winked. She smiled, a proper Yuna smile, and it made me dizzy, the light that she seemed to emit when she did that. Her beautiful, hypnotising green eye shone, as she mouthed 'Thank-you!' at me. The Shoopuf ride didn't take that much longer, and soon, we were on the North bank, ready to move onto Guadosalam, which was only a short walk up another trail. We wandered along absent-mindedly, me dilly-dallying along behind everybody as usual. They walked on ahead of me, up towards the forest, but something caught my eye. Or rather… someone I thought I'd never see again caught my eye, and drew me over to her.

Her petite little form was sprawled out across the bank, her shiny red jumpsuit still intact. I gasped.

"You're… not dead?!"

I stepped back, as she peeled herself from the ground, and started undoing her armour, her buckles and clasps on her jumpsuit. She tugged at a long zip on the back of her suit, and I gasped. Why was she taking her clothes off?! Two blue ribbons fell out from her back, and I saw her clothes beneath the suit. An orange tank top, showing off her golden tanned midriff, and tiny green shorts, decorated with green frills at the ends. Her boots were big, black and hard wearing, grenades strapped to the sides of them. One of her gloves was small and black, showing off her chipped yellow nail polish, a red cross on the back. Her other glove was thick and yellow, and strapped to her thigh was a black strap, holding more gadgets and little machina grenades and healing potions. I noticed that she had a little blue necklace, frighteningly similar to Yuna's. Her golden blonde locks of hair were up in a tail at the back of her head, two long plaits coming down over her shoulders. Finally she took her goggles off, and I think I finally realised where all the distrust in the Al Bhed had first formed. Yuna's green eye had always mesmerized me. But seeing two of them, side by side, lighter green swirling in with the black pinprick pupil, how the eyes seemed to have glitter scattered across them, the stars placed within the green depths to sparkle and hypnotise. I swear, I almost fell into her I was gazing so hard into her eyes, when she smiled, her cute, pretty little face lighting up. She placed a hand on her forehead, and swayed a little.

"Man… I thought I was done for back there!" She fell to her knees, and I couldn't help but laugh at her dramatic entrance.

Rikku glared up at me, the full force of those eyes hitting me like a punch in the gut.

"Rikku! You're Rikku! Hey, you're okay! How ya been?!" I cheered, bending over and grinning like a fool. She was alive! Sin hadn't destroyed her, ruined her, and I figured Al Bhed must be made of tough stuff. She shook her head, bringing her face back to gaze at the ground.

"_Terrible_." Her voice was sweet as honey and high as a kite as always. I frowned, and got closer. I could smell the spices and pineapple scent that radiated from her hair.

"What happened?" I asked, stupidly. She growled, and jabbed an accusing finger in my face.

"_You _beat me up, remember?!" she said huffily. I raised a brow, getting up off the ground.

"Huh? Wait, that machina?! That was you?!" I asked, incredulously. She stood, and I noticed other little things, like her orange belt and little black arm bands and straps.

"Mm-hmm. That really hurt, you know! You big meanie!" she said, her pout adorable. I frowned.

"But- no! _You_ attacked _us_!" I stuck to my guns. Rikku shook her head, eyes wide, and folded her arms, pout still there on her bubblegum lips.

"_Nuh-uh_! It's not exactly what you think," she said knowingly, smirking at my confused expression.

"Yo!" I would have heard Wakka yelling from a mile away. He walked up, followed by Yuna and the rest of her Guardians. Her eyes widened, and I thought she looked like she was going to burst with happiness. Wakka glanced at Rikku. He frowned.

"Friend of yours?" he asked curiously. I babbled and then nodded my head, pointing her out to all of my friends.

"Uh… yeah! This is Rikku." She grinned all the same.

"Pleased to meet ya! I'm Rikku!" her smile was wide and innocent. Lulu tilted her head in thought beside Yuna.

"Lulu, Yuna, you remember I told you about her…? She's the one that helped me before I got washed up on Besaid! She's an Al Bh-" Lulu shot me the Death Glare (as I had so christened it), and shook her head in a sharp jerk. She pointed at Wakka. Ooh… he didn't like Al Bhed. But what sort of an idiot did you have to be to not realise her golden hair, tan, or those freaking green eyes? Wakka raised his eyebrows.

"Whoa! So you like, owe her your life! What luck you meet her here? Praise be to Yevon," he bowed, and I heard Rikku giggle sweetly. "So, Rikku, you look a little beat up. You okay?" Lulu cut across him.

"Uh, Wakka?" He turned to her, to see Yuna's eyes shining bright as she gestured for Rikku to come to her side.

"We need to discuss something." Silence.

"… Okay, go ahead," Wakka said slowly. Rikku shook her head, her cute smile wide.

"Uh-uh! Girls only! Boys, please wait over there!" she chimed, pointing over away from them with her chipped yellow nail. They talked for a little moment, Yuna smiling hugely, Lulu watching judgmentally, Rikku talking animatedly. Soon, they walked up to Auron, who watched Yuna warily.

"Sir Auron? I'd like Rikku to be my Guardian," Yuna said quietly. Auron nodded and walked to Rikku, towering over her as she ducked her head down, avoiding his eyes. He smirked a little.

"Show me your face." Rikku jerked nervously.

"Huh? Oh… okay." She tilted her head up, keeping her eyes tightly shut. Auron's smirk widened.

"Open your eyes," he said slowly, as if to a little child. Rikku visibly sighed, and cracked one of her lids open a tiny bit, before opening them fully, hitting Auron with her eyes. He didn't seem as affected as I had been.

"As I suspected." Rikku sighed, and folded her hands.

"No good?" she asked sadly. Auron frowned.

"Are you sure?" he asked slowly, watching Rikku's face carefully. She nodded, bouncing.

"One hundred percent! So, anyways… can I?" I thought she was going to stick 'pretty please with sugar on top' on the end of that sentence, but thankfully, she didn't. Frankly, I think Auron would have had a problem with that.

"If Yuna wants it," he said. Yuna nodded, smiling broadly. Wakka made a little noise of disapproval, and I laughed nervously.

"Hey! Rikku's a… good girl. She helped me a bunch!" I said happily. Wakka nodded, shaking off his last disgruntled little noise.

"Well, I'm for it! The more, the merrier!" Rikku grinned wildly, dancing around.

"Righto! Well, I'll just have to be the merriest!" she chimed, hugging Yuna tightly. Yuna's face was both shocked and happy, as she hugged Rikku lightly back. Guadosalam was only five minutes away from our current position, but already, Rikku's presence had made all of us slightly happier. Except Kimahri. He looked kind of annoyed when she asked him for a piggy-back.

* * *

Guadosalam was amazing. Roots and bark was basically all it was made up of, spanning a small area, but still, it was wondrous to look at. The ground was deep brown, green roots spiralling around, houses built in among tree trunks, lanterns hanging peacefully from branches, swaying softly. It had a rich, earthy smell that was a delight in my nostrils, and filled my head with lazy thoughts.

A Guado man greeted us. He rivalled Kimahri's height, his arms falling like the branches of trees down past his knees, his long, spindly fingers grazing the ground. His nose was long and hooked, and his hair was thick tendrils of green, moss growing along the side of his face. His eyes were like black beetles, shining, and he had yellow robes on, embroidered with red patterns along the sides.

"Lady Yuna! We have been expecting you! Please, come this way," he made to grasp Yuna's arm, but Wakka and Rikku leapt in front of her. Wakka eyed the man. He bowed deeply.

"My apologises, my Lady! I am Tromell Guado. I am in the direct service of our leader, Lord Seymour Guado. Lord Seymour had very important business with Lady Yuna," Tromell said in his lumbering voice. Yuna frowned.

"Business with me?" she glanced at Lulu who shook her head, not understanding either.

"Please, come inside the manor! All will be explained. Your friends are obviously also welcome," he said nervously, glancing at me with worried eyes. Taking no time to wander, he led us down the steep bank that was in front of the manor. The manor seemed like it was part of the wooden wall, bark and vines entwined with the front of it, a big red door shining. Seymour's humble abode, it so seemed.

The inside of it was basically exactly the same as the outside, all like the forest had become overgrown and had infested the homes of the Guado. I was beginning to think that they themselves were part of the forests however, with their appearances. I walked up a small flight of stairs, Lulu and Wakka close behind me, curious to see the portraits on the walls I had spotted. They all seemed to be of one, serene looking man.

"These are all the past leaders of the Guado," Lulu told me, keeping her voice quiet. I grunted.

"They all look the same," I mused, reaching out to graze the surface of one of the green portraits with my fingers. Wakka frowned.

"Maester Seymour don't look like them, though," Wakka said thoughtfully. Lulu's thin brows raised and she leant over to Wakka a little, pulling him closer to her. I leant in two, not wanting to miss this.

"Don't you know? The last leader of the Guado was Maester Jyscal. He wed a human woman. She was Seymour's mother," she told us, thick purple lips hardly moving as she muttered the words. Both Wakka and I made noises of understanding, and Lulu nodded, her mouth quirking in a smile. Tromell emerged then from two grand doors that led through the Seymour, I guessed. He bowed.

"This way, please," he motioned politely for us to walk through. Auron tugged me towards him, and whispered in my ear.

"Stay as close to Yuna as you can." Kimahri nodded.

"Kimahri not like Seymour." Myself, Kimahri and Auron moved in right beside Yuna, hardly giving her enough room to breathe. Lulu, Wakka and Rikku flanked the sides of us, Rikku walking first. We were led into a huge room, tables laden with food of every kind, and Tromell excused himself to summon Seymour. I walked close to Lulu who, gestured for me to come closer to her.

"There's no temple here in Guadosalam. Usually, Summoners just pass on through," she told me, smiling at my face as I took in yet another piece of trivia concerning Spira. I laughed, realising something. Lulu raised a brow, and instantly became sharp. "What?" she snapped. I grinned, putting my hands up in mock defence.

"I didn't even ask a question and you're telling me things," I said, grinning at her. Lulu frowned and pouted a little, and I almost laughed, thinking of Rikku and her both pouting.

"You would rather I didn't say anything?" she asked coldly.

"No! No! it's just… maybe you're finally beginning to accept that I don't know anything about Spira… And maybe that means you believe me about Zanarkand… too?" I asked cautiously, rubbing the back of my neck. Lulu watched me for a moment, before closing her eyes, and thinking. She folded her arms, and shot an annoyed glance at me.

"Well… there are many things I do not know, Tidus. Your Zanarkand is one of those things. I supposed I can't say what I think either way," she said slowly, thinking of every word before she spoke it. "Still… be careful. You shouldn't tell other people." I nodded. They would think I was some sort of nut.

"Yeah, I know."

She shooed me away then, as Rikku had just discovered about the proposal between Lulu and Wakka, and was squealing in delight, begging to be allowed to plan the wedding. I went to Auron, who was leaning against the wall, counting the exits, taking in his surroundings.

"Stay on your guard," he muttered. He left then to tell Rikku to act like a Guardian, as not only was she squealing, she was stuffing her face full of the food. I almost laughed out loud, but something about this whole encounter with Seymour made me uneasy. I mean, the guy had never made me feel _comfortable_ before, but this time… I got the feeling he'd called us to his manor for more than just a bite to eat and a little bit of gossiping. Suddenly, Tromell entered, Seymour following close behind him. We moved in towards Yuna again, but not so obviously he would think we were on to his conniving little mind.

"Welcome!" he bowed to Yuna, who bowed nervously and bit her lip.

"You wanted t-to see me?" she asked softly. Seymour sighed and swept his hand grandly around the room.

"Please! Make yourselves at home! There's no rush!" he said in his smooth way. Auron coughed.

"Please keep this short. Yuna must hurry," he stated coldly, hand flinching to the hilt of his sword. I nodded, and Kimarhi grunted. Seymour raised his hands in apology.

"Pardon me. It has been a long time since I had guests. Lady Yuna! Please come this way," he swept his hand politely holding the door for Yuna to walk through. We rushed up to her side, not letting her get away.

The room was dark at first. Yuna stepped forth, and the ground lit up where her feet brushed, sending bursts of light, not unlike those of when she Summoned, whirling around her, illuminating her beautiful face. My heart caught in my throat, and I had to try and stop myself from running to her. What was wrong with me?! What was going on with my head?! Lately, I'd just had these urges to reach out and touch Yuna, to hold her, tell her it would be okay. I glanced up to try and see the roof of the room, but instead, I saw the night sky, stars littered across it, great planets taking up vast areas of space. Pyreflies danced from here to there, glittering, teasing me with their carefree movements. Yuna gasped, and her face lit up in smile, as the light from the stars caught her eyes, making them dazzle. I dared not look intro Rikku's eyes, for fear I might not be able to look away. Lulu seemed to have some unearthly dark quality about her, that in contrast with the light of this room made her look unreal. Wakka's tanned skin glowed, and Kimahri looked like a great, majestic king. Even Auron seemed to shine, the silver hairs that littered his dark chestnut locks shimmering a little. Seymour walked up behind Yuna, smiling as she clapped a hand to her mouth in wonder.

"This sphere, is a recollection from the thoughts of the dead that wander the Farplane," he told us, gazing himself, as suddenly, a great city appeared before us out of nothingness, and we were thrown into the thick of it all, getting a first hand glance at the wondrous sights. Rikku tried to catch the streaks of light, the pyreflies, but they flitted through her hands like nothingness. I realised where we were standing. The bustling crowds, the busy workers- I glanced above and below to make sure, seeing above us, penthouses, a great stadium, and walkways from building to building. Downwards, I could detect a foul smell, ebbing up from the shrub layer, and I could see the hard working people of the lower canopy, trying to find food.

"Zanarkand?!" I asked, incredulously. Seymour nodded.

"Indeed. Zanarkand. As it was a thousand years ago." Lulu looked at Wakka, who gaped back at her, mesmerized by the city I had grown accustomed too. Suddenly, we were on the emergent layer, speeding along the monorail I so often had ridden, and Seymour sighed in content. "The great machina city of Zanarkand. She once lived in this metropolis," he said, sounding faraway. I heard Auron laugh cruelly, a smirk on his face. Yuna momentarily broke her stare at Zanarkand to look at Seymour, and ask him a question, her voice soft.

"She who?"

Suddenly, we weren't in Zanarkand anymore, and the memories faded, leaving only the true sphere before our eyes. In the centre of the room, was a woman, or what looked like a woman. I soon realised she was a dream. Her hair was long and flowing, a deep silvery colour, her eyes the same unsettling icy blue as Seymour's. She barely wore any clothing at all, a small bikini and bottoms, her feet clad in delicate silver sandals, twirling up her pale legs. Yuna gasped.

"Lady Yunalesca!"

"She was the first to defeat Sin. And save the world from it's ravages," Seymour explained, pointing Lady Yunalesca out. Yunalesca? That must have been who Yuna was named after! I watched Lady Yunalesca. She didn't look very happy. She seemed… depressed. Must have been another trait besides her name Yuna inherited. The ability to worry about everyone but yourself constantly. I wondered if Yuna was okay now. Was Seymour making her uncomfortable? Should I say something? Gah! What is the _matter _with me?!

"And you have been graced with her title."

"It was my father, who named me," Yuna told Seymour, smiling at the ground. Seymour nodded, smiling at her.

"Your father was entrusting you with a great task. He wanted you to face Sin, as Lady Yunalesca did. However, Lady Yunalesca, did not save the world alone…" I heard Lulu and Wakka let out sharp gasps, Rikku clench her teeth, and Auron raised a brow. Kimahri growled, and made to move towards Yuna. Who had she saved the world with?! What had happened?

"To defeat Sin, it took an unbreakable bond of love, the kind that lasts for eternity." Seymour bowed in prayer. My heart panged at that. … What, did I think I could help Yuna with that or something? I swept the thought aside, focusing on Seymour once more.

A man, another memory, entered the sphere then, sweeping through Yuna, a large crown on his head, his cloak billowing as he walked. He went to Yunalesca, who leapt up and clasped his hands, staring at him, so much devotion and adoration in their eyes, it made my heart hurt. Why didn't I have someone like that? …Because Auron was right. I'd never tried to find someone like that back home. What had I done? Partied and… slept around. I was snapped back into the present time, when I saw what Seymour was doing. He had his lips pressed close to Yuna's ear, whispering something softly to her. Her eyes grew wider than dinner plates, and I was about to march right forth and grab her, but Auron was there, holding me back, eyes dark. We went hurriedly back to the room with food, and Yuna ran straight to the drinks table, downing a glass of water in seconds, looking like she needed something _much_ stronger. I ran to her, not caring about Auron anymore. She had her hands rested on the table in front of her, and I fixed my arms around either side of her, so she had no chance of escape. She gasped at the sudden close proximity of me.

"Yuna? What's the matter?" Rikku was at my side, and span Yuna around, giggling gleefully at the colour of her face.

"You're beet red!" she said happily. I stomped on her foot, earning myself a put-out pout, as she tugged my arms away from Yuna. Yuna began stuttering, searching desperately for the right words, trying to speak coherent sentences. She glanced at Seymour, and I brushed my fingers against her face, earning myself a full on look from her.

"He- he asked me to _marry_ him," she whispered, her voice terrified and barely audible.

Suddenly, anger was pounding through my veins. I don't know what happened. I just saw red, and instantly, something snapped within me, making me want to run over there right away and wring Seymour's neck with my bare hands. My eyes flashed darker than normal, and Yuna blanched even more at my anger. I fisted my hands together, and gritted my teeth, resisting the temptation to lash out and break something. What was wrong with me all of a sudden? Why was I so mad?! So FURIOUS?! Auron pulled me away from Yuna, growling at Seymour.

"You know what Yuna must do," he said darkly, fury clearly apparent in him as well. I don't think it was as strong, or as animalistic as mine though.

"Of course! Lady Yuna- no, all Summoners, are charged with bringing peace to Spira. But this means more than just defeating Sin. She must ease the suffering of Spira. She must be a leader for the people! I proposed to Lady Yuna, as a Maester of Yevon-"

"Spira is no play-house," Auron cut across the dramatic Seymour coldly, his gaze never flinching from burning holes in Seymour. He gave a quick smirk in the direction of Auron, seemingly ignoring him. Auron continued, still cold. "A moment's diversion may amuse an audience, but it changes nothing." Seymour nodded, smiling at Auron now, in a cocky fashion.

"Even so, the actors must play their parts."

I was getting angrier now. What, he thought marrying Yuna was just some sort of show?! He thought they were actors, performing a play with the hope of getting good reviews? He didn't really, truly love her. It was impossible, the hungry, evil stare he gave her, the sick, sadistic smile that lingered on his lips when she said something innocent, something meaningful. He made me want to throw up, and it disgusted me that he would just marry her for _fun_!

"There's no need to answer right away. Please, think it over," Seymour suggested, Auron answered instead of Yuna.

"We will do so. We leave," Auron said, and began to move. Seymour nodded, smirking.

"Lady Yuna- I await your favourable reply," he said smoothly, causing Auron to stop dead in his tracks, and come back for Yuna, taking her delicate arm gently, and heaving her shocked form out of the Guado manor. It took all of my strength to walk out with them, and not turn back and run Seymour through right there. I didn't understand! Why was I so furious?! Suddenly, Seymour turned and tilted his head to one side, watching Auron.

"Why are you still here sir?" Auron stopped, and I thought he was gonna run Seymour through too. Seymour smiled pleasantly, and bowed. "My apologies. We Guado are keen to the scent of the Farplane." And he left just like that, not a goodbye to us, just walked out and left us to show ourselves out. Not only was he an obnoxious insert-awful-word-here, but he was a RUDE obnoxious insert-awful-word-here!

Outside, Yuna sat down, and Lulu was speaking. It seemed… she was trying to actually convince her to marry that _bastrard_!

"Yuna… the High Summoner's daughter, and Seymour Guado, Leader of the Guado married in the name of Yevon… Overcoming the barriers of race… It would give Spira something cheery to talk about, for a change," Lulu folded her arms, and I was about to yell at her. How dare she force Yuna into this?! It was clear she _wasn't interested! _

"Sounds just like a passing daydream, like Auron says," Wakka agreed. I sighed, trying to stay cool.

"C'mon! L-Let's just get on with the pilgrimage! I mean… m-marriage?" Rikku smirked, and poked me, tilting her head to one side, sweetly.

"Hmm… jealous much?" she chirped.

I hesitated.

And that was all it took.

One moment of hesitation, and all eyes in the house were on me, Wakka's huge, Lulu's knowing, Kimahri's wise, Auron's dark, Rikku's smug and Yuna's… happy. I gaped like a fish. I was… jealous? That was why I was a-angry? I was jealous of Seymour marrying Yuna because I…? No! No, that wasn't the reason! I didn't- Yuna was my- we were just-

"N-no! We… gotta defeat Sin! R-Romance can wait," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. I failed, miserably, and Rikku's smirk was the smuggest look I think I've ever seen. I kicked her in the shin.

"Owie!"

"He sure picked a fine time to lay this one on us," Wakka said, tearing Lulu's attention away from me.

"Maybe… it is a fine time," Yuna spoke quietly.

"You serious?!" I asked, before I knew what was happening. She nodded.

"If my getting married will make the people happy… If I can make them happy, by just getting married? Then I should do what I can," she said keeping her eyes away from my own, refusing to look up from her fingers. "I never imagined doing anything like this, but I won't answer till I know what's right."

"Seriously?!" I repeated. Rikku dropped to her knees, trying to look Yuna in the eye.

"You could always quit your pilgrimage and get married?" she asked, slightly hopefully I thought. That puzzled me. Rikku wanted Yuna to quit? Yuna kept looking at her hands, a smile in her voice.

"No, I will go on. I'm sure Lord Seymour will understand…" Yuna trailed away, sadness clouding her words. Rikku sighed, and fiddled with one of the tassels on her shorts.

"Um… I guess so…"

"I am a Summoner. I must fight and defeat Sin," Yuna's eyes were determined, and I watched as she clenched her fists on her lap, looking more serious than I'd ever seen. Auron nodded, happy with that statement.

"Like Braska before you." Yuna stood up, and addressed Auron, bowing a little, but her voice was still strong, mind made up.

"I'm going to the Farplane. I'll go and see my father, and think on this," she told him. Lulu nodded.

"Go on. We'll be right behind you…"

A question sprung up in my head, and I wondered why none of the others had ever asked Yuna, "Do you love Seymour?" Do you even like him? It didn't make any sense at all to me. There shouldn't have been anything to think about. The minute he asked her, she should have said no, denied him, and then went with us through the Thunder Plains, on her pilgrimage, like we'd always planned. Now, we were off to this Farplane place, to speak to Yuna's father, who was dead, so he could tell her what she had to do with her life. I resisted the urge to just yell, and ask if anybody was thinking straight.

I still didn't understand why I had been so angry, why I felt so strongly about Yuna marrying Seymour, why I was so opposed to the notion. Rikku seemed like she wasn't totally sold on it either, but she didn't say anything, and I knew for a fact that Lulu and Wakka were against it too. But they just smiled, and didn't give Yuna any advice at all.

I would have… but it wasn't my place.

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**Please review! :) ... I thought I'd like this chapter more, but alas, I'm not 100% satisfied. Sorry guys if it's a bit crappy :) But, I'm serious, I just wrote my very favourite conversation of all time EVER in the next chapter, between Tidus and Lulu. God, it was AWESOME! :)  
Okay, enough of my random talking... oh WAIT! I almost forgot.  
Random fact of the day that I thought up right here on the spot: My brother is very tall. Next to him I'm very small. But not really. :)**

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	15. Thunder Plains

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The song for this chapter was 'You Found Me' by Kelly Clarkson. I love it! There's even one specifically for Final Fantasy too! Check it out!

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**Thunder Plains.**

_**Tidus**_

We made our way up and through the twisting, turning roots and wood that made up Guadosalam, coming to an archway, whose intricately carved frame was littered with pyreflies. As we made our way through a tunnel, decorated with colourful walls, and more pyreflies, I took in my surroundings, and it didn't take a genius to work out that everybody was tense. And I mean, really tense. I could almost smell it, and it felt like static electricity was shoving us apart.

We moved out of the corridor, and I saw a grand set of old, and crumbling stairs, not unlike the ones we'd had to climb in Kilika. A great circular portal stood at the end, glowing mysteriously, a beautiful, unexplainable noise whispering from it, like the dead were talking to us… murmuring. I frowned.

"Uh… question! When someone dies, a Summoner sends them to the Farplane, right? So their souls, or whatever they are, they go to the Farplane? … But that's the Farplane we're going to, right? And Yuna's old man's there… too?" I asked, my own sentence making me a little dizzy. "Do… dead people live there, or something?" I heard Lulu sigh, her voice annoyed, and Wakka shook his head.

"You'll see once we get there, ya? And stop finishing every sentence with 'right', ya?" he chuckled. I scowled. Says the man that adds 'ya' to every other _word_. We began to ascend the steps, but Auron just sat down on one, and folded his arms. I poked his shoulder.

"Aren't you coming?" I asked, quizzically. He sighed, deflated.

"I… do not belong there." I laughed a little, teasing him.

"A hm hm hm… you scared, huh?"

"Searching the past to see the future. That is all that is there. I need it not," Auron said dryly, indicating that he probably wasn't scared of _anything,_ like I'd always suspected. Rikku walked by us, and stopped too, settling herself down on the banister of the steps, sighing heavily. "You'd better be going."

Rikku's shoulders slumped, and her next words sounded sad.

"You're not really going to see the dead. More like… your memories of them. People think of their relatives, and the pyreflies react to them. They take on the form of the dead person, an illusion. Nothing else… well, have fun!" Rikku gave me a little wave, but I saw she was upset beneath her happy exterior. Her sparkling eyes were dark, and mourning. I groaned.

"What? You're not going either, Rikku?" She shook her head.

"I… keep my memories inside. Memories are nice… but that's all they are." She turned away again, and then bit her lip, before turning back. I could visibly see tears swimming in her eyes, and had to look away. "That…" she whispered. "And I'm afraid of who I'll see in there if I do go in. Pyreflies only take on images of the dead… so I might see somebody who I thought was alive in there…" I decided not to question her about that last statement, knowing she'd tell me at a later time if I asked nicely enough. I left Auron sitting on the steps, and Rikku playing with her hair, and ascended the rest of the steps up to the Farplane. I passed through the portal, and it was like a thousand rainbows had spattered themselves across the sky, and all the lights in Spira were lit. It felt incredibly weird, like I'd entered some sort of bubble that held all the wonders in the world, and the pyreflies danced around me, painting the air with sparkles, and their song. I still heard it, soft and longing, and I shuddered, as I emerged out onto a rock like platform where the rest of my comrades were standing. Wakka was talking to a young man, who looked awfully like him, and a little like me, except with the same fiery red hair as Wakka.

Yes… the Farplane was awesome, but… here I was again, not being able to stop my train of thoughts from wandering to Yuna. She was standing, talking to a very handsome couple, the man who I recognised as Braska, from the statues in the temple, and a beautiful Al Bhed woman, with cropped golden locks, shining tanned skin, and the same devastating eyes that Rikku had… In fact, this woman looked awfully like Rikku… maybe all Al Bhed women had the cute look about their faces. Yuna's mother and father looked so happy together, and I guess that was how Yuna remembered them. Happy and smiling over her. …Happily married. Now, I was worried. Maybe seeing them would convince Yuna, that if she married Seymour, she would be just as happy and in love as her parents were. I knew this wasn't the case, but I wondered if she did too. I heard Wakka, talking cheerily with his brother. Or rather, he was talking, and Chappu was listening.

"Yo, Chappu! I meant to come and see you earlier. Sorry. But, I know you won't hold it against me! I gave up the Game. I'm a Guardian from here on in, you know? This guy showed up- looks a lot like you- and travelling with him? I thought maybe you were still alive somewhere, ya? But then again, here ya are on the Farplane. Guess your place is here. So, how ya been? Oh! That guy I just told you about? I gave him your sword- he likes it… Oh! And something else! Me and Lu- we're getting married! Isn't that good news…? I know you would have been happy for me… So, tell me what life's like hangin' up here? You get much of Blitz anymore?" I glanced down at the sword I had sheathed at my side. This was Chappu's sword. After Wakka's heartfelt speech, I seriously felt privileged to be carrying around his dead little brother's weapon. It seemed like he loved him very much- and from what he'd said, it had sounded like he and Chappu had been really close when they were younger. I walked to Lulu then, and she was watching Chappu and Wakka, her face slightly upset. When she saw me coming, she sighed and her crimson eyes met mine.

"He is dead, and I am still alive. Coming here really makes that clear," she said softly, smiling as Wakka showed the image of Chappu his Blitzball proudly. "And now I'm moving on. I always thought that myself and Wakka got along… fine. But I also thought that it took far more than simply getting along for you to… fall for said person. It's confusing, really, that even though Chappu had always said I looked grumpy, those were the happiest days of my life. Because, not only was I getting up to him every morning, but I always had the promise that Wakka would be there too, and he would never give up on trying to win me over. It… hurts a little to think that what Luzzu said was true. That Chappu was just happy he had me and Wakka didn't." Lulu sounded a little sad, so I placed a hand on her fore arm, smiling a little. She looked shocked at the sudden contact, but didn't snatch her arm away, like I'd expected.

"I'm sure Chappu loved you. From what Yuna says, you two got on like a house on fire. But she also told me that Chappu could feel that strong connection between you and Wakka too, and maybe that's why he decided to join the Crusaders. Not just Luzzu's input, but the fact that he wanted to do whatever he could to make sure the both of you were as happy as you could be," I said, amazed at my own comforting skills. Lulu's smile was wide, and she shut her eyes thinking that over. She opened them again, one edge of her lips propped up in a quirky smile.

"Since when are you so deep? Never mind. I just think it's a nice change. Maybe you should go and channel some of your heart-warming _deep_ words in Yuna's direction? I think she needs it more than I do." Taking Lulu's advice, I turned and walked to Yuna, as slowly as I could, wondering if she had reached her verdict yet on what she planned to do. I rubbed the back of my neck as I approached, the jolting feeling racing through me as I started to talk to her.

"So… Yuna?" She turned, and her eyes were sure, a small smile on her face as she watched me.

"I've decided," she said, not an ounce of doubt in her voice. I nodded, wondering what her decision was.

"Oh? R-Really? That's… good-"

"I remember," she cut across, still gazing at her parents, with some hint of longing. "When I was seven, my father had defeated Sin. The whole city was out in the streets, everyone was laughing! They all… seemed so happy. If… I defeated Sin, that would make everyone happy, wouldn't it?" she sounded a little unsure. Wait… was she saying that she would rather defeat Sin, and make everybody wait a while to be happy, rather than putting off her pilgrimage so she could marry Seymour?! Did this mean she was rejecting the proposal? Turning him down? Walking away and continuing her pilgrimage?! "I must do what everyone wants. Not just what I want." I nodded, suddenly excited.

"Let's go back! You gotta tell Seymour!" Yuna nodded, and then her eyes lit up.

"Before that… call Sir Jecht. Go on, give it a try!" she seemed confident that he wouldn't come, and I had no idea what she meant by 'call'. "Don't worry. He won't come." I sighed. Trying not to think about my father was going to make me think about him of course. How aggravating. Yuna laughed happily. "You see! He didn't come! That means he's alive, you know!" How I wished I could just tell Yuna the truth. That my father wasn't dead- because he was Sin. But I knew she would freak out and over-react, so I kept my mouth pressed in a thin line instead.

"I'd rather never see him again," I told Yuna coldly. She sighed and turned to me, eyes curious.

"Tidus… What makes you hate him so?" she asked. I sighed and clenched my hand into a fist.

"Everything he does just makes me mad! It was his fault that me and my mother-" I cut off, as the pyreflies descended, and one of the most beautiful women (in my eyes) ever- appeared before me. My heart gave a lurch, and I staggered forward, disbelieving.

"Mom?" I whispered, wondering if it could be true. I blinked. "Yuna… it's her." Yuna smiled, and waved softly at my mother, trying to bring me out of my shock by placing a hand on my arm.

"She's very pretty," she said softly, happy I was happy. I stuttered.

"But… wait! Nobody performed a Sending for her." Yuna tilted her head to one side, as my mother smiled at her and looked between us both, making assumptions about us.

"She must have accepted death while she was still alive," she told me, blushing as my mother gave a tiny smug smile.

"Whoa there! That's my mother you're talking about," I joked, and Yuna paled, glancing at me.

"I'm so sorry!" she said, and my mother frowned at me, putting both of her hands on her hips. I grinned sheepishly, and shrugged it off, smiling at Yuna. My voice was soft.

"No… it's okay. But I think I just figured something out," I told her. She gazed up at me, her eyes glittering.

"What?" she asked. I looked back at my mother's form, and she looked close to tears as she watched me with Yuna. I sighed. This probably would be how my mother would act. When my father wasn't around that is. I remembered one time when I was a little kid. My parents were talking- well, it was more like, Jecht was talking, and my mother was gazing up at him, such adoration in her eyes as she did so. I had had a bad dream, and needed a mother's comforting hug to reassure me that it was all just a nightmare, not real. I had called out to her and she had brushed me off, gazing up my father, utter devotion the only emotion she felt. I think that's when I started hating Jecht. When I was little, and he tore all of my mom's attention away from me and onto him. He then had just said some cruel remark, mocking how I cried. I only cried when he was around.

After relaying the whole story to Yuna, I stopped myself, blushing.

"Oh man… I must sound so stupid," I said quietly. Yuna shook her head.

"I don't think so," she replied, kindly, her smile soft and true. I was about to blurt something totally stupid and clueless out at her, but Wakka saved me from my own ultimate self-destruction.

"You done? Are do you need some more time?" Wakka asked carefully. Yuna shook her head, and glanced back at the images of her mother and father smiling at her. I watched as she took a deep breath and shook her head.

"No, I'm ready," she said, positive. Wakka nodded, but Lulu frowned, her brows knotting together.

"Did I… miss something?" Lulu asked, her usually emotionless voice confused. We made our way our of the Farplane, to see a very bored looking Rikku tossing a little red ball up and down in the air. She blew her bangs out of her eyes, and when she heard us coming, her face lit up in a joyous smile, and she pranced forth to Yuna, who grinned.

"Thanks for waiting. I'll go and give my answer to Maester Seymour now," she told her Al Bhed Guardian who nodded.

"Ahh!" It was Lulu who screamed. "Lord Jyscal!"

I turned around, to see the staggering vision of a Guado, keeled over, his eyes lolling in his head, his hands gnarled and dead. He was reaching out to us. Yuna gasped and bowed deeply, and suddenly everyone was screaming about Lord Jyscal. I thought he was… dead?! Auron stood.

"It does not belong here!" he snarled, pulling Wakka up and out of the bow he had issued. "Yuna, Send him!" Auron doubled over then, grunting and groaning in pain, a very strained look on his face. Yuna walked to the man, the dead man, her face upset.

"He is Lord Jyscal no more," Lulu said coldly, watching Auron out of the corner of her heavily made-up eyes. "Send him now!" Yuna did just that, and I looked away. It always caused me pain to watch Yuna's macabre dance. I heard her gasp, and something clatter to the floor, as she bent to retrieve it.

"Talk later! We leave now!" Auron commanded, shooing us all out of the Farplane steps. We were in the long corridor, leading back to Guadosalam, when Yuna spoke.

"I don't understand how a man like Lord Jyscal can die and not be Sent," she said, voice incredulous eyes wide with shock and worry. Lulu nodded.

"I would think he was Sent once. But he stayed on Spira… something, a powerful emotion bound him to this world. Such things happen," she explained calmly, trying to keep Yuna's nerves at bay. Rikku skipped up beside us, face contorted in a look of confusion.

"But, that's against the rules, isn't it?" she sang. Auron shook his head, keeping his eyes away from Rikku, as he spoke of what befell Jyscal.

"It means, he died an unclean death." We walked away from the Farplane, back through the labyrinth of tree trunks and roots that cascaded across Guadosalam, and down to the front of Seymour's manor. Yuna steadied herself, ready to go and speak with him.

"I will… go and speak with him," she said. I smiled encouragingly, and Auron stuck out his hand, holding her back.

"Yuna. Jyscal is the Guado's problem. Not yours." Yuna nodded, and turned away from us, walking back inside the manor house, to go and relieve Seymour of his wondering. All the Guardians went their separate ways, but I followed Lulu, questions swarming my head.

"Uh…"

"What?" Lulu snapped impatiently. I sighed and we kept on walking, higher and higher up above Guadosalam, stopping only when we were standing on the thickest branch like walk-way there, gazing out over the manor and all the other Guardians.

"So… Lulu. What do you think about Yuna getting married?" I asked her, wondering what her reaction would have been had Yuna decided to indeed go through with the preposterous idea of being wed to Seymour Guado. Lulu's face remained stony.

"As long as the pilgrimage continues, either way is fine," she said, not looking at me, but instead down at Wakka, who was arguing with Rikku about Blitzball tactics. I smirked at the two, glancing up at Lulu, whose long lashes fell over her eyes, concealing their ruby glow from view.

"That's it? What if she doesn't even like the guy? Is that okay?" I asked, wanting the truth from Yuna's 'big sister'. The Black Mage sighed at my persistence, glancing up at me, eyebrows furrowed.

"People marry for many reasons."

"What's that mean?" I demanded. She was purposefully dancing around my questions now, refusing to answer the most simple of inquiries, only adding to the interrogation she received. She would have been better off just telling me the truth of what she thought the second I asked, rather than just beating around the bush.

"Marriage isn't always about love, you know? Defeat Sin and bring happiness to the people of Spira. Get married, and bring happiness to the people of Spira. For Yuna they are just two ways down the same road," Lulu explained, eyes never meeting my own. She bit her lip, and I watched her hands clench on the wooden banister of the side of the walkway we stood on. Her long black nails curved up around her fists and dug into her palms. "All you need is determination. With that, you don't need _love_." I sucked a deep breath in, and frowned.

"I don't know… I just don't get it," I mused, and finally, Lulu looked up at me, her eyes burning. We were silent for a moment, and Lulu didn't take her eyes off me. Finally, she spoke, reluctantly.

"Listen… if Yuna is to marry… I would _want_ her to marry for love…" she trailed away, and then watched me carefully. I grinned.

"See?!" Lulu smirked then, and her fingers unclenched. She tapped her nails along the banister, hypnotically.

"But, if she was to marry the one she loved, I would have to object," she said snidely, amusement shadowing her handsome features. I rubbed the back of my neck. What?! What was Lulu saying? Did Yuna… love someone? Really _love_ them? Maybe a boy back on Besaid… maybe… she was arranged to be married, and fallen in love with that guy… But who would Lulu object to? And why? My heart began to bleed, as I thought of Yuna slipping away, in love with someone else.

Why did this hurt so bad?!

"What?! Y-You're not making much sense…" Lulu smiled then, a proper smile and nodded.

"I know…" I sighed, and began playing with my glove. I frowned, angrily.

"Lulu-"

"I've talked enough about that," she said quietly, brushing her bang out of her face. I groaned.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, just forget about it," she said crossly, sighing heavily and ignoring me. I cocked a brow, and poked her arm, playfully.

"Jeez, grumpy," I stated, earning a small quirk of her mouth. She looked back at me, wondering if she should speak.

"You'll understand… one of these days. I just don't want to give it words yet," she said in the end, somewhat… confused, I thought. She bit back words then, opening her mouth, closing her mouth, open, close, again and again. Finally, Lulu did something I'd never expected her to do, and took my hand. I gaped, and she looked seriously into my eyes, her powerful gaze enough to make me want to flinch away. She tilted her head to one side, keeping her voice low and careful.

"I shouldn't have to say this…" she trailed off, and I prepared myself for the apparent bombshell she was about to drop on me.

"But don't fall in love with her."

"Too late."

The words were out of my mouth before I'd even realised I'd spoken them. Lulu's eyes were as wide as saucers, and I'm pretty sure mine were wider. I clapped my hand to my mouth, and those two words ran around, over and over and over again in my head, making me dizzy, swarming chaotically about, my mind spinning around in a mess. That was it. That was why I despised Seymour, I hated to watch her dance and her sadness, I felt like I needed to always be there for her, I was her Guardian, I protected her- all because…

I love Yuna.

I was in _love _with Yuna.

Lulu's great bust dropped from the breath she was holding, and her many necklaces and beads clinked together gently. Her hand rested on her chest, and she continued to stare at me, as I savoured this newly discovered information. That I was in love with Yuna.

"I… see. Tidus… y-you must keep your feelings inside. Until…" Lulu broke my gaze, and it felt like she was_… lying _to me. "Until the pilgrimage is over." I nodded, still lost for words as I went over and over the fact that I was in love with Yuna. I suddenly realised why. Because, she as the most wonderful girl on the planet. She was perfect. Everything about her was just… perfection. No… Yuna _was _perfection. My train of thought was broken, by none other than the Yevon disciple we had helped once upon a time on the Mi'ihen Highroad- Shelinda.

"Oh! Hello, Sir Tidus! I heard the Lady Summoner was here. She's better now, isn't she?" she asked, smiling at Lulu who nodded her head in reply. I nodded too.

"She's talking to Seymour-"

"Maester Seymour, or Lord Seymour," Shelinda corrected me, seriously. I heard Lulu snicker.

"Sorry. I'll… be more careful," I told Shelinda apologetically.

"That's alright. But… I heard Maester Seymour left several hours ago. He went to the temple of Macalania. He is also the High Priest of there," she told me. Lulu blanched, and left me on my own with Shelinda to go and tell the other Guardians, and retrieve Yuna.

"I… I gotta go get Yuna…" I stumbled out, rushing past the Guardians at the front of the manor, Rikku at my side. I saw Yuna standing on the steps. She was addressing one of the portraits of the Guado Leaders. Jyscal's.

"Please, Lord Jyscal. What can I do to help?" she begged.

"Yuna! Let's go!" Rikku yelled, and Yuna walked down the steps to the Al Bhed, who clutched her arm and tugged her out of the manor. I barely had time to say hi! I gulped as Yuna stepped out and smiled at me. She was… I shook my head and spoke.

"They say that Seymour went to Macarena Temple," I told her, and she giggled, a musical sound. Wakka slapped the back of my head.

"_Macalania_ Temple, you idiot," he said. "What I don't get is, why the Lord Maester would head off to Macalania so soon without a word to any of us." Rikku shrugged.

"Maybe he wasn't expecting Yunie's answer so soon," she said. Yunie… what kind of a nickname was that? Auron was speaking now.

"What's the matter Yuna?"

"Nothing."

"You're a poor liar. What is it?"

"It's true, it's nothing. Come on, let's go," Yuna tried to shrug it off, but I could tell by one glance at her eyes that something was the matter with her. I planned to ask her what her trouble was when we got walking. Our next stop was the Thunder Plains, which I didn't particularly like the sound of. We went down a short tunnel, and all I could see beyond it was a dark sky, thunder rumbling menacingly, lightning striking the ground everywhere. Rain sheeted in all directions, and the ground was sizzling with as much electricity as Djose held. Rikku gulped, and suddenly became very small, her body shrinking.

"Oh no. We're here," she said, her voice tiny. Lightening struck the ground right before us, and she screeched, her high little voice trembling.

"How the hell are we supposed to cross that?!" I demanded. Lulu smirked, and pointed at some large metal towers placed at equal intervals.

"See the lightening rod towers? They draw the lightening to them," she glanced at the ground which had just been struck, now fried to a crisp. "Hopefully." Wakka nodded, staying close by her.

"We head north. Not to near, not to far from the lightening rod towers," he explained. "Meaning, we should avoid wide open areas." A crack of thunder shook us.

"Aaahh!" Rikku squealed. "Uh… I think I l-left something in Guadosalam!" Auron smirked cruelly.

"Nice knowing you." Rikku stomped her foot angrily, and made a little furious noise.

"Okay, _okay_ I'll go!" And we began to make our way across the Thunder Plains. We were all instantly soaked to the bone. Rikku was dashing nervously from place to place, squeaking and wringing her hands together. I prayed we didn't meet too many fiends along here. They would be hell if we did.

I fell into step with Yuna, marvelling over the revelation that I was in love with her. Lulu had said… that if she was to marry the one she loved, then she would have to object… What had that meant?

"Hey, Yuna!" I called, over the rumbling rolls of thunder, the bursts of lightening and the steady beat of the pellets of rain. Yuna giggled at me, and waved.

"Hello, Tidus!" she called back. We slowed so we could walk together, and the rest of the group powered forwards.

"So… how ya been?" I asked her. Lame. Lame lame lame, with a capital LAME. What was wrong with me? All of a sudden, I couldn't speak to Yuna? I was so hopeless that I couldn't even get out a coherent sentence, or one that was actually interesting? She giggled.

"Fine…" I nodded, my wet hair spraying her with even more water. She reached up, tugging her saturated hair back a little, so it was sticking to her head, her Summoner's outfit already clinging to her body. It gave me an opportunity to see all her wonderful curves, and just how soft her skin was as the raindrops ran easily down her arms and stuck in her sleeves. I didn't notice how far behind the others we were, but we definitely were. I bit my lip and tried to speak like a normal person.

"Do you want my jacket or something? It's not very big, but it might cover your head," I suggested, going to tug my zipper down. Yuna's cheeks stained pink and she smiled shyly.

"I'm… already wet, Tidus. But thank you for offering," Yuna said kindly, nodding in thanks. I blushed. What a stupid question. She was already soaking, and so was my jacket, so where was the logic behind that brilliant inquiry? Man, was I on fire today…

"Did you enjoy seeing your mother today?" Yuna asked, calling out over the lightening that was cracking like a whip, and the grumbling thunder. The rain was so ferocious that it bounced a good foot in the air after coming into contact with the mucky ground beneath our feet. I thought that over.

"…Yeah. I haven't seen her since I was like… ten. So, I guess it was cool to be able to say hi to my mom when I thought she was gone forever. What about you? Was it nice to see your parents again?" I replied, causing her to bite her lip and look at the ground, her mismatching eyes shining as I paid so much careful attention to her. She nodded, glancing back up at me as we walked through the downpour.

"I've only been to see my mother before with my father when I was four years old. I've never been to see my father. It's… a very long way from Besaid to Guadosalam, you know? I was doing my training, so there was never the time to go traipsing through Spira. I was happy to see them together today," she told me, smiling as she recalled the memory. I grinned, watching how the rain seemed to make her glisten, running in clean rivulets about her.

"… How… did your mother die?" I asked, truly curious. I hoped I didn't make her sad, but I really wanted to know. She didn't seem to bothered, and I guessed she must have simply learned to live with the fact just like I had. She tilted her head to one side and thought. Glancing up at my face, she didn't break eye contact with me as she told me her mom's story.

"I was three years old. My father was at a conference in Luca, the Summoners had been called by the Maesters for discussions of some sort, why all Summoners should have to go on pilgrimages to try and defeat Sin, or something of that nature. My father didn't want to. He was happy Sending people and providing support for the people of Bevelle where we lived at the time. My mother and I were going to meet him. We got on the boat from Bevelle, and we planned to be in Luca by the following afternoon. But… something got in our way. I think you can guess what it was," Yuna's smile was small and sad, and the urge to reach out and hold her tightly almost overcame all of my self-control. I gritted my teeth though, and nodded seriously as she continued her story.

"All women and children were cast onto lifeboats first. But…" Yuna broke off and she looked away from me, watching the ground. However, no tears graced her eyes. It struck me that I had never _just_ seen her cry. Considering what she did and all, holding the fate of Spira on her shoulders, I would have expected her to break down and dissolve into soft sobs. Sure, she had wept uncontrollably that first time from the Sending, but they weren't her tears. Those tears belonged to the dead souls, and they were shedding them _through_ her. Yuna clenched her hands into fists at her sides and looked up at me again.

"My mother was an Al Bhed, as you know. Women and children were first on the boats. Then men. Then Ronso. Then Guado. And… then Al Bhed. My mother put me on the boat, and kissed the top of my head. She said daddy would be at the docks waiting for me, and to run straight to him. She told me she loved me the most in the world. And then my boat was cast off, and the Al Bhed were left on the boat for Sin to… Well, you get the picture. I cried the hardest I've ever cried then, and I remember my father and I, sitting in the hotel room in Luca, on an old rocking chair, me on his lap, him rocking us both back and forth.."

My heart panged out in pain. My mouth and throat were dry, and my eyes were stinging.

"I'm sorry for asking Yuna… I just-"

"No! No, it's fine, really! You… deserve to know. Everybody else does," she smiled at me, not a fake Yuna smile, but not a truly happy smile either. It was sad and lovely, and I reached my hand out to stroke her arm a little in comfort. Suddenly, she glanced up, and blanched.

"Uh… Tidus? Where are the rest of my Guardians?!" she asked, her eyes snapping open wide in alarm. I glanced around, and seeing no other Guardians, panicked. No! What was I supposed to do in a situation like this?! When I was Yuna's only Guardian?

That was when I heard the low, ripping growls. The thunder and lightening couldn't make these noises, and when me and Yuna turned around, we were face to face with a Melusine, a vicious type of giant lizard, with blue skin and green spikes fringing it's face. It let out another ripping snarl, sending shivers up my spine.

"Yuna, go and hide behind a rock. Any rock, I don't care, just get away from here," I instructed.

"But Tidus-"

"Yuna, that's an order from one of your Guardians. Do as I say. My job is to protect you!" At that second, the fiend leapt forth, swiping at me with one of it's long, jagged, poisonous claws. I leapt out of the way, and Yuna pulled back a little, but still didn't do as I said and go completely out of the fiend's range. I gritted my teeth, and unsheathed my sword, steadying myself to fight the fiend. It would have been easy to kill, had Wakka, Kimahri and Auron had also been here. It was magic resistant, so Lulu would have done no good, and me and Wakka would have probably taken it out in a few hits. But on my own with a White Mage? Not so lucky.

I ran forth, and brought the Brotherhood ramming down into the fiend's side, earning a satisfying gasp of pain from the beast, and also a very dangerous swipe with it's neck, as it went to jerk forth and bite my chest. I leapt out of the way, just in the nick of time, adrenalin sweeping through my body, as the fiend snapped at me with it's piercing venom pumped fangs. I ran forth and tried to get my sword angled correctly so I could just spike right through it's rubbery, thick skin. It kept moving, and swishing it's long spiked tail at me, grazing my arms a number of times. I swore and ran at it, as it brought it's poisonous fangs round at my arm. I pulled my arm back, and danced around the back of it, completely forgetting about Yuna. The fiend seized it's chance, smelling Yuna and rushing for her. She tried to get away, but tripped and collided with the ground, the whole front of her kimono becoming drenched in mud and dirt. The fiend leered over her and brought it's poisonous fangs down to her soft, white arm, puncturing the skin.

Her scream rang through the air, and I didn't think, before running and swiping the fiends head off in one quick go, the body wriggling before collapsing in a heap. I shoved it out of the way, sheathed my sword, and fell to my knees beside Yuna's trembling form. The venom was lethal. It could kill in as little as half an hour, and I had no idea where everybody was. Yuna was biting her lip, the pain almost unbearable. She screeched, not being able to stand the burning, and it tore me up to think I was helpless. Rikku kept all of the potions, because she had all those little spaces for them, and my White Magic was useless. But that didn't mean I couldn't try. I'd cast Cure before, but that definitely wasn't going to suffice for the amount of damage done to Yuna. The venom was seizing her arm, paralysing her muscles.

I laid her down flat, clutching her other hand.

"Yuna. Shhh, Yuna, tell me how to cast Curaga," I begged, my eyes stinging with tears as I watched her suffer. She managed to shake her head.

"Y-You won't be… able t-to. N-No… T-training," she stuttered, doing her best not to scream again. She whimpered. I held her hand tighter.

"Please, just let me try. I'm your Guardian, I let you get hurt. Just tell me how!" I urged, desperation leaking into my voice. Yuna nodded, her mouth dry, the venom causing her throat to seize up.

"P-Picture m-me as the p-person y-you love m-most in the world, o-k-kay? Place y-your hands on m-my arm," she instructed, doing her very best not to faint before I had the chance to try. I didn't feel the need to explain to her she _was_ the person I loved most in the world. It was too urgent to be thinking about stuff like that, so I just concentrated. I did as she instructed, careful not to let my fingers touch her infected wound. Her crimson blood was staining the rain around us, and her sleeve was soaked in the stuff. I tore it away. Her voice was weak when she spoke next.

"F-feel all t-the White M-Magic y-you've l-learnt b-build up w-within y-you. C-Channel y-your energy on m-me. Y-You c-can t-think of m-me and nobody else. C-Concentrate… b-breathe… energy… a-and…" Yuna's eyes slid shut, and her throat seized together. I took a deep breath.

_I love you most in the world. If you die, I'll die. If you cry, I'll cry. If you love, I'll love. I cannot survive without you, Yuna. I… _pray_ to Yevon…_

"Curaga…" I breathed.

The effects were instant. Her wound stopped sizzling as it had a moment ago, as the venom burnt her skin away. Her wound healed, her skin growing back together in a second, the foul stench dissipating. I watched as her glands became less swollen, her eyes less puffy and heavy, and her sopping wet body stopped writhing and twisting. Yuna's hair clung to her neck in thin tendrils, her own blood lingering on her cheeks and fingers. Her kimono was ruined, all dirty and wrecked. It had endured worse than this though, so a good wash and a bath for Yuna, and I thought we'd be fine.

Her one ocean blue, one emerald green orbs fluttered open, her eyelashes clinging together. They widened instantly.

"I'm… alive? You- You did it! You cast Curaga! How in the _Farplane_ did you do that?!" Yuna's eyes were wide, and I could practically hear her heart beating a mile a moment. I smiled, and she laughed at the sheer impossibility of it all. Her eyes shone, and I stood up, offering my hand to tug her from the ground. The electrifying jolt I felt when our bodies came into contact, seemed to conduct from me to her, as she wobbled a little and shook the thin tails of hair out of her face.

"Thank-you-"

"Yunieeeee!"

Suddenly, Yuna's hand was torn from my hand, as she was walloped backwards in an astonishing mega hug, courtesy of Rikku. The Al Bhed held Yuna in a vice grip for several seconds, until I pointed out she was turning blue. Rikku let go and walked over to me, before punching me in the arm with her iron capped knuckles. I swore, and jumped back.

"What the hell was that for?!" I demanded, and Rikku stuck her tongue out at me, going over to Yuna again, who was babbling, trying to save me from further abuse. Suddenly, Lulu was there as well, grasping Yuna in almost as tight a hug as Rikku's had been, and Wakka was fawning over her, wondering aloud why she was so dirty and there was blood on her sleeve. Auron and Kimahri watched me carefully for a satisfying response. I sighed, and began walking through the harsh weather. Rikku had remembered she was terrified of thunder and lightening, and was cowering behind Wakka, whimpering softly.

"We ran into some fiend trouble," I told them, and all of them gasped in shock. Yuna bit her lip and watched as I relayed to Auron what had taken place. His eyes grew wider than I'd ever seen them, and when I was done, he reached forth and clipped the side of my head with his hand.

"But, Tidus cast Curaga in one try!" Yuna exclaimed, and Lulu's brows knotted and she shot me a warning glance.

"Did he now? Does he know what the basis for a spell that strong is?" she shot at me, and I shrugged. Yuna blushed the darkest shade of red I've ever seen and shook her head. Auron snapped his fingers, and brought all attention onto him.

"We go, now. No more questions. And Rikku, act like a Guardian," he said sharply, sweeping past us all and walking in the direction of flickering lights in the distance. He took Yuna by the arm and swept her up alongside him, Lulu and Wakka ignoring me, Kimahri catching up, and Rikku only walking with me, and holding onto me because she was terrified. That's when she spotted it. The inn. Auron walked straight past it, refusing to stop in the Thunder Plains after all the distractions we'd had already. Rikku stopped walking with me, outside the door, her body trembling wildly.

A gigantic bolt of lightening struck the ground at her feet. Wakka laughed wildly.

"Whoa! That was a close one, ya?!" he declared.

"Stop kidding around," Lulu snapped.

"Yes ma'am."

"A he he he he he…" Rikku giggled, insanity leaking into her voice. "A he he he he he…"

"A he he he he, you're giving me the creeps!" I yelled at her. She screeched as thunder shook the ground, and dived at my feet.

"I wanna go home! I hate lightening! I hate thunder! Please, can we rest in here?!" she begged. Auron shook his head slowly.

"This storm never ends. It's better to pass through quickly," he said over the steady beat of rain.

"I know, but… just for a little while?!" she begged. I glanced up at Auron, who was watching Rikku with disapproving eyes. She was trembling like a little puppy that got left out in the rain too long, and was still holding onto my leg as tight as she could, which, considering the blood flow was stopping in my leg, was a _lot_.

"Well? What now?" I asked Auron, hoping he'd bestow some of his glorious wisdom upon Rikku and make her get to hell off of my leg. Instead, she just whimpered as he shook his head, indicating the party should move on. I stayed by Rikku, who pulled herself from the ground and started to beg.

"Pretty please?! Just for a few minutes?!" she called. They walked on. "I'm scared of lightening! Please, pretty please?!" The walked on, but I saw Yuna wavering, and looking like she was going to turn back any second. I watched in awe as those heartless Guardians walked on, ignoring Rikku's little pout, and her big, mesmerizing eyes. "I'm too young to die!" she insisted, and Yuna did stop and turn around, but Lulu tugged her along. I frowned. Rikku was very nearly bursting into tears. "You're so mean! Cruel! Your mom's would be ashamed of you! Do you enjoy tormenting me?!"

Auron sighed heavily and walked back, the others following him.

"Fine! We rest here! She's worse than the storm," he snapped, brushing Rikku off. Her smile could have lit up the entire vast area of the Thunder Plains, but it was quickly wiped from her face as thunder growled at us. She squeaked, and ran inside the inn. The rest of us followed suit.

* * *

Inside was exactly like the inn we'd stayed in at Kilika, Djose and the Mi'ihen Highroad. All painted blue, Al Bhed scribbled across the walls, and all the books written in their mysterious writing. I walked over to a small table with Rikku, who was explaining to me why she despised thunder and lightening. She was wringing her hands together over and over again.

"When I was little, a fiend attacked me while I was swimming at the beach. My brother, Anikki, tried to beat it back with a spell---AHHH!" she squealed in terror as lightening hit the roof of the inn, and rushed closer to me, eyes shut tight. "But, he missed and hit me instead! It was a Thunder spell! Zzzzzzzzttt!" she imitated being fried alive by lightening. "I've been scared ever since." Lulu frowned.

"But, it can be affective. Magic is affective against marine fiends," she said wisely, her fingers itching with said magic, like she wanted to zap something right then and there. Rikku whined.

"My brother said that too!" Lulu smiled.

"You should learn some spells too-" she was cut off by heavy thunder. Rikku yelped again, and retreated into a corner, to sing to herself Al Bhed songs and try not to cry she was so terrified. I laughed, and glanced around the room. I saw Wakka, seething that he was in another Al Bhed shop, Auron leaning against a wall, eyes shut tight, Rikku in her corner, Lulu attempting to read the Al Bhed books and Kimahri standing like a true Guardian, straight and tall. No Yuna. Where could she be?

"Go check on Yuna, would you? She seemed upset over something, and make sure she's washing her dress," Lulu shot at me. I nodded, and walked down a long hallway, to a large mahogany door, with the symbol that rested atop Yuna's staff emblazed in the door. This must have been a room they kept especially for the Summoners on their pilgrimages. I was going to knock, but I heard her voice inside. I pressed myself up against the door, trying to listen in. I still couldn't hear a thing through the thick wood, so I went harder, trying to see through the key hole. Nothing. I tried once more, and rammed the door too hard, toppling in over my own head, to a very startled Yuna.

She had a plain, white silky bathrobe on, her kimono being washed by some maids down the hall. Her eyes widened as she looked at me.

"Uh… yes?" she asked quietly. She reached forth onto her table, and pressed down on a blue spherical object, stopping a noise from emitting. I glanced at the screen before she could totally turn it off, and saw the face of Jyscal Guado, the spirit that had stumbled out of the Farplane earlier on today. I started to babble, and she started to babble, and soon we were both blushing wildly and babbling a little more. She smiled a little at me, and I rubbed the back of my head nervously.

"I'm sorry, Yuna, I should have knocked first. …Hey! Wasn't that that Jyscal… Guado guy?" I asked carefully. Yuna searched her brain for a lie, but she sucked at lying and just ended up nodding.

"Yes… this is his will. It says, 'Take care of my son,'" she told me, tugging the bathrobe on tighter, blushing as I watched. Nodding, I stepped forth to look at the little blue sphere.

"Oh… his son? Seymour?" I asked stupidly. "Oh, well I know one way to take care of him!" I joked. Yuna watched me for a moment, sadness pouring out of every part of her. What was the matter? Had my Curaga spell not worked? Was she upset about Jyscal?! What was the matter?

"Tidus?" she said softly, walking to my side. I gulped as she got closer. "I'm sorry."

"What?" I asked, confused. She shook her head, and ran from the room, leaving the sphere behind, going towards the washing room to gather her kimono and boots. I walked towards the sphere, and didn't realise I was being MAN-HANDLED until Wakka was tickling me for information. He had me in a headlock, and I was struggling to get free.

"What do you think you're doing?" he yelled.

"Yuna! She was, upset! I-! I-!"

"Yeah, yeah! She'll tell us when she's ready so- hold- your- chocobos- till- then- YA?" he struggled to hold me tight enough, and I squirmed and writhed until finally I was free of his grasp.

"Alright! Alright!" I yelled back at him. He smirked, and slapped my shoulders.

"Go to sleep! We gotta get up early in the morning, if we ever gonna make it to Macalania," he ordered, pulling me by the scruff of the neck out of Yuna's room, and down the hall to where we would be sleeping.

* * *

The next morning, I awoke, and walked out into the lobby of the inn, to Auron and Rikku arguing heatedly. Thankfully, they were almost done when I came close.

"I'm not scared! I'm not scared, ya hear?!" Rikku yelled at Auron, as he made his way outside. She kept mumbling to herself after that, repeating to herself that she wasn't scared, she wasn't scared at all. With no more talk about it, we made our way out into the harsh weather which hadn't deteriorated at all since we had come in here in the first place. The road wasn't that long now from here to Macalania, and I was honestly excited. Lulu had said that this place was the most beautiful in Spira, even more beautiful that the Moonflow, and little butterflies with shining crystal wings flew everywhere making little chiming noises wherever they went.

We walked quickly down the road, Rikku only cringing a little when lightening struck. We were almost at the border line of the Thunder Plains coming into Macalania, when Yuna stopped dead, eyes on the ground, tormented.

"Everyone, wait!" she said. Wakka turned, confused.

"What's up?" he asked kindly, like a true big brother would have if Yuna was his actual little sister.

"I have something to tell you," Yuna looked up, and saw me, then instantly avoided her gaze. What was the matter?! Was it something I had done?

"Here?!" Lulu asked incredulously. Rikku nodded in agreement.

"We're almost out of here!" she whined, balling her little hands into fists as she struggled not to cry out in terror at the thunder and lightening. Yuna bit her lip and glanced up at Rikku, who softened instantly, seeing the pain in Yuna's eyes.

"I have to say it now," Yuna insisted. Auron nodded, and pointed over to a lightening rod tower, that held a big sort of band stand below, perfect for a little chat in the middle of the Thunder Plains. We followed Auron underneath the stand, Yuna wringing her hands in despair, not coming anywhere near me. Maybe that fiend yesterday had hurt her more than I first thought it had. Somehow, my bad feelings always seem to come true. Yuna took a deep breath.

"I've… decided to marry Lord Seymour." I swear, my eyes must have gotten twenty times wider as I gaped at Yuna. Her words rang over and over again in my head, as I attempted to come to terms with the fact she had just stated. The girl I… loved. Yuna… was marrying _him_. _Maester Seymour._ Lulu shook her head angrily, placing a hand to her face.

"I thought so," she said quietly. Wakka's face was in disbelief and shock. He glanced down at Lulu, who looked back up at him worriedly. Maybe they thought Yuna was delusional or something like that?

"But why did you change your mind?!" Wakka demanded. Yuna flinched a little, and refused to meet my eyes still.

"For Spira's future. And for Yevon's unity. I thought… it would be the best thing…"

"That's not good enough," Auron said coldly, and I know that he knew something wasn't right about this at all, and Yuna must be doing all of this for some other reason.

"Is it? Is it because of Lord Jyscal?" Lulu shot at Yuna, angrier at the girl than I'd ever seen. I was so mad, it took a lot of self control to turn to Auron and inform him, through gritted teeth about Jyscal's sphere. He stepped round me, and went to Yuna immediately.

"Show me," he ordered her. She cringed away from him.

"I can't. I have to speak to Maester Seymour first. I am truly sorry but it is… this is a personal matter," Yuna looked sick when she stood up to Auron, like she was going to faint from self-loathing. Something was seriously wrong, and why Yuna wouldn't just look at me and help me see what was wrong was seriously getting on my nerves.

"Are you kidding?!" Wakka demanded. Auron stepped away from her, face not betraying any emotion.

"As you wish. Just… one thing though," he added as an after thought, turning to Yuna, who bit her lip.

"I will not quit my pilgrimage," Yuna said firmly. Auron nodded.

"Then it is… fine." I blocked him from retreating any further, my anger boiling over.

"Wait a minute Auron! You're not gonna stop her, tell her she's wrong?!" I demanded, wishing dearly that Yuna would just look at me rather than the mud thick ground.

"No I am not. As long as she continues her pilgrimage, everything else is up to her. That is a Summoner's privilege. As long as she journeys. All else is fine." I swore angrily, not believing the words that Auron was speaking so nonchalantly. A low growl emitted from me throat. Wakka walked up to Yuna.

"Just one question, ya? Why can't you just talk to Maester Seymour? You got to marry him?!" Wakka asked her, shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I don't know. But… I think it is the right thing to do," Yuna told him. He nodded, and stepped back beside Lulu, who was looking so disappointed in Yuna. It was Rikku's turn now.

"Yunie…" she moaned, putting her hands on Yuna's shoulders. There was a loud burst of lightening, and Rikku turned to face the plains, eyebrows knotted in anger. "QUIET!" she yelled. I would have laughed, had I not been seething at the moment. "I wish we could help somehow! Someway…"

Yuna rested her hand atop Rikku's smiling gently.

"It's okay," she assured the little Al Bhed girl. "I'll be fine…" Auron stepped forth.

"Next, we go to Macalania Temple. Yuna can talk with Seymour there. We Guardians will wait, and plan our next move," he spoke like nothing was wrong, like Yuna was just doing her job, like this is what was meant to happen. My heart was aching. How could she do this to us? … To me? I just didn't understand how her mind was working if she thought this was the only way to make people happy. She didn't always have to do that! Yuna could make Yuna happy every once in a while. And it didn't strike me that Yuna was overjoyed about marrying Seymour. But then again, she refused to meet my eyes. So, everything I thought we'd had together was erased instantly, with her not wanting to look at me, and her confirmation that she was going to wed Seymour. And yet strangely- I wanted to make this as easy as I could for Yuna. Like, if I couldn't have her, then I wanted her to be as happy as she possibly could be. Yet, I had another one of my bad feelings about this. And as we've learned from past experiences, my bad feelings always come true.

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**Only two reviews for the last chapter :'( Please review if you read, I'd love to hear what you think! :) Thanks!

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	16. Macalania

**Song for this chapter was 'Diary of Jane' by Breaking Benjamin.

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Macalania.

_**Tidus**_

Yuna kept her eyes fixed firmly on the ground for the next short distance we had to walk to reach Macalania. I could feel the tension thick in the air, Lulu and Wakka muttering things to each other, Lulu glancing at me every now and again. Auron was walking at the front of the group, powering through the wind and rain, ignoring us all, like he was angry, but doing a good job of hiding it. Rikku was whimpering at the thunder and lightening again, and clutching my arm.

However, the second we crossed the border into Macalania, she jumped for joy, and let go, racing up the steep hill that led to the forest. Lulu had been right when she'd said that Macalania was the most beautiful place in Spira.

It was full with gigantic willow and oak trees, reaching higher up into the sky than all the buildings in Spira I had seen put together. They twisted round and round themselves, making spiralling patterns as the descended to the purply sky, that was littered with stars that shone brighter than any I'd ever seen before. The ground was frosted over, a thin blanket of snowflakes covering it, and Macalania was distinctly chillier than any other place we'd been, however it wasn't unpleasant. It was cooling and calming, and the air was so light, snowflakes hung aloft in it every once in a while, just stopping and glittering before my eyes. Then, there was the special butterflies. Their wings were made of a special, rare crystal, that shone like the sun, and whenever they moved, soft little noises like the tinkling of silver bells rang throughout the vast trees of the Macalania forest.

Auron stopped halfway up the hill, and everybody else walked on, leaving just me and him there alone. He turned to me, eyes grave, expression plain.

"You're worried about Yuna." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. But it was a kind of stupid statement all the same. Of course I was worried about Yuna. Everybody was worried about her, none of us believed she was making the correct choice in agreeing to marry this creep. But… maybe Auron had been observed what Lulu had… that what I felt for Yuna was stronger than what the rest of her Guardians felt, that I was the only one who loved her like she was the only person in Spira. That was probably why he didn't waste time questioning my feelings, but rather made an assumption himself, and as always, got it completely right first time. I wanted this to be easy for Yuna… but I couldn't stop the sick feeling in my stomach. I knew something wasn't right at all about all of this.

But… Auron had always been there for me. I knew he would be now, I knew he would understand just like he did when I was growing up. I sighed and nodded my head, as he nodded understandingly.

"'Course I'm worried… I mean, what is she thinking?!" I demanded. Auron thought this over a moment, and then turned away from me, marching up the hill, back turned. I stayed still, awaiting his wisdom.

"The simplest answer would be…" he began, before turning and watching me walk up the hill to join him at his side. He placed his hand on my shoulder, and watched me with eyes dark, deep eyes. "In exchange for agreeing to marry with him, she hopes to negotiate with Seymour," he explained. I shook my head, and sighed heavily, confused.

"Negotiate what?" I wondered, my voice clipped with impatience. Auron shrugged and his hand fell from my shoulder.

"I wonder…" I tilted my head to one side, and another question struck me. Why couldn't Yuna just get us to help her? We were her Guardians after all, and we were there for her. We would do everything in our power just to make her pilgrimage easier, so that when it came to defeating Sin, she would be ready, and she'd be able to defeat it and carry on with her life. But she was making this so difficult… why?

"But, why? Why all by herself?" I voiced my thoughts and Auron's eyes met mine, and I knew that he had been thinking the same thoughts as I had. He shook it off, and chuckled darkly, turning away from me.

"Yuna's strong… but Seymour is the better negotiator."

"Well then, why don't we do something about it?" I was trying to find any way to help Yuna that I could, and Auron wasn't making this easier.

"Yuna wants it this way," he said, voice emotionless, still not meeting my eyes, looking as far away from me as he could. He walked further on up the hill, and I followed him, waving my arms in confusion.

"I just don't get it," I said defeated, my voice low and more to myself than to Auron. "Doesn't she trust us?" He stopped walking and turned to me, brows raised, eyes hidden behind his tinted glasses.

"On the contrary. She just doesn't want us caught up in whatever it is she's planning," he told me, and I guessed that made sense. Same old Yuna, always struggling along by herself, never wanting to cause any trouble for anybody or anything, caring far too much about other people, and not worrying enough over herself.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. But, that makes me worry even more," I muttered, Auron still watching me as my arms flopped to my sides. "She could just tell us."

"That's the way she is," Auron said finally. "She's naïve, serious to a fault, and doesn't ask for help. She's easy to read," he smirked knowingly, as we reached the top of the hill, and saw Yuna standing on her own, Rikku lounging on some bark, and Lulu standing protectively over them both. Auron chuckled to himself. "But hard to Guard."

He had that one right. It was sending my blood pressure through the roof to Guard Yuna at the moment. Auron stopped then, ant turned to me, eyes glinting, a small, lopsided smile on his equally lopsided mouth. "Tidus, you have to promise me that you'll stand by her."

"I will," I said surely, like it was the most natural thing in the world. He nodded.

"Always…" he added. I nodded surely, and made the promise to myself as well, knowing that I would never leave her side if I had the choice.

"Always," I replied. As we emerged up onto the hill, Rikku giggled, herself again after we'd passed on out of the Thunder Plains.

"Slow pokes!" she chimed, racing up to me, and leaping on my back. Her laugh was high and gleeful, and I snickered as she demanded a piggy back, because I was the loser.

"Sorry," I said, laughter in my voice. It was funny how calm I was. But I think it was because I was now positive that Yuna wasn't marrying Seymour for love, and if anything it was for political reasons, or whatever scheme her scheming little mind had come up with and why. It was… just something she had to do, her duty before she returned to her pilgrimage. …That's what I kept telling myself anyway, as I began to haul Rikku about on my back. She was lighter than Yuna even, so it was like carrying a backpack, not that tragic.

And… I also think I was so calm because I'd convinced myself that… well, Yuna and I had never…

"Yuna, let's go," I said softly to her, snapping her out of whatever thoughts she had become lost in. Her eyes were still faraway, as she smiled a fake smile at me, and stood, wandering over to Auron to begin walking through the forest. Rikku was slouched lazily across my back, arms dangling over my shoulders, humming a soft little tune in Al Bhed, that was sweet. It seemed to make her very sleepy also, as she snuggled her head in deeper to my shoulder blades, and hummed it a little louder, but not too loud so that Wakka would hear.

We were interrupted by a loud yelling, as Barthello the brainless Guardian came hurtling down the road we were travelling on, arms flailing in the air.

"Have you seen Dona?!" he demanded, panting like a tired dog. I shrugged, readjusting Rikku on my back, so it was more comfortable for the both of us. She giggled.

"Dona? Can't say I have," I replied.

"What's up?" Wakka asked. Barthello looked like he was going to cry.

"We got separated on the way here! Oh… damn it all! I have to find her!" he yelled, waving his arms around in despair. Auron sighed and remained cool as ice.

"Calm down, Barthello," he said plainly, his usually growling voice toned down a little to perhaps try and put the distraught Guardian at ease. Barthello's eyes grew wide at Auron talking to him, and he bowed, mumbling.

"…But if anything were to happen to her…" he breathed, and I knew then that there was definitely something going on between Barthello and Dona, whether the two of them liked to show off their relationship or not. From the tormented look in Barthello's eyes, and the trembling edge to his voice, I knew that he was seriously doubting himself as Guardian and as one of her close friends.

"Running around in a panic is not going to help. Right now you have to keep cool and search," Auron said wisely, watching as Barthello straightened up, and realisation swept across his crude features. "Guard your emotions, then Guard your Summoner." Barthello nodded his head deeply, and clenched his gigantic fists into tight balls.

"You're right," Barthello agreed. Auron nodded and glanced around at the rest of us. He turned to Barthello, a questioning look in his dark eyes.

"Should we search?" he asked politely, as Barthello took deep breaths and shook his head from left to right.

"No, I've taken up enough of your time. Thank you Sir Auron," he said gratefully, bowing deeply again, and then turning and walking into the thickest parts of the woods again, calling out Dona's name, loudly, yet calmly. Auron smirked as he went off, satisfied that he had done his good duty for the day. Rikku suddenly leapt up and off my back, darted out of our group, and ran towards the forest, but stopped dead after a few seconds.

"What's up?" Wakka asked, worriedly, but Rikku just giggled, and shrugged her shoulders, turning and winking at me. I gulped, ready to go and interrogate her, just like I'd planned before Barthello's hasty interruption.

"Oh nothing! I just wanted to wish him good luck," Rikku sang, skipping back over beside Yuna, and tugging her into deep conversation, leaving me stranded on my own with nobody but Auron for comfort. Yikes. Not going to get much comforting there. We climbed another hill then, and came to a bard, with a strange blue robes, and the head of a phoenix bird. I gasped and Rikku cheered loudly, asking him to say something poetic. He smiled, and plucked the strings of his harp, graciously accepting.

"A butterfly with rainbow wings will lead the way to secret things," he said, his voice soft and musical. Rikku squealed and turned to Auron.

"Please, let's look for rainbow butterflies?" she begged. Auron smirked and moved on past her, looking around to see a butterfly, whose wings were stained with all the colours of the rainbows, sparkling merrily just like all the other butterflies from Macalania woods. This one had something special about it though, and Auron blew on it lightly, causing it to flutter anxiously away, leaving a trail of stardust along the air. He smiled, a proper smile, not his usual smirk and turned to her.

"You really want to capture something as beautiful as that?" he asked her. She sighed, and shook her head, walking to the shimmering dust and running her fingers through it, coating them in a mystical golden powder.

Yuna didn't say a word to anybody the entire time we traipsed through the tick, chilling forest, watching the butterflies, catching snowflakes on our tongues, sliding down the banks. Well… that was mostly just me and Rikku doing those things, but Wakka slid down the banks with us, and then helped Lulu down them, which was funny, because they both kept sliding on the ice, and swearing. I think she didn't speak, because she knew that it was almost time. She was almost there, on the outskirts of Macalania, where the temple was, where Seymour was, where she would have to seal her fate of being wed to him with a few simple words. Those words would change her life forever. What if I never found my way back to Zanarkand? And after we defeated Sin, I went back to Besaid or something to live with Lulu and Wakka? Train with the Aurochs or something like that. Yuna wouldn't come back with us. She would return to wherever it was Seymour was, and live out the rest of her days as his wife, standing by his side, having to be with him until she died. What if he wanted to have children with her?! It made me want to physically throw up in a bush to even think about Seymour putting his greasy hands anywhere near Yuna, putting his lips anywhere near into contact with her soft, white, smooth skin. He would probably break that skin, tear it with his vicious claws, he's bruise her with his elongated grip. And to even think he would bear children by her? I stumbled a little, and fell into a bush, ready to puke my guts up on the side of the road. This wasn't doing me any good thinking about Yuna and Seymour together. It would probably be better if I just stopped thinking about this whole messy business right now. Like I'd told Yuna. We had to worry about what came after Sin, after we defeated it.

I expected Auron to just stroll on by me collapsed in the bush, but instead, he drew his long, thick sword from his side, and had Wakka tugged me out of the bushes, looking green.

"It is here somewhere," Auron muttered, poking around in the shimmering branches for a moment. I glanced at Wakka, who shrugged.

"What's here?" I asked him, weakly. Auron smirked, and turned to me and Yuna, looking between us both, a sly smile now on his face.

"Something you should see," he said simply. Yuna sighed, and wrung her hands together, glancing at Auron nervously.

"But… Sir Auron-"

"It won't take long," he assured her, closing his eyes and preparing to swipe at the branches. Every time that the hard, cold metallic sword came into contact with one of the branches or leaves, hundreds of butterflies fluttered out. And after they were all gone, parts of the branches, the glittering crystal that made them up, flew out, catching in the light air of Macalania, and floating up towards the sky, mingling with the snowflakes, making the sky shine, even though it was eternally night in Macalania.

He led us through the newly cut hole he had made in the trees and branches, and into a little space that I would never had guessed was there. We rounded a corner, and there, right before my eyes, was the single most beautiful place I had seen in Spira. I gasped, and I heard everyone else do the same, Auron smiling triumphantly at our reactions to the wonderful place.

A spring. A spring lay before us, but it was like no other little spring I had ever encountered. The waters glowed brighter than the Moonflow's sparkling and shimmering, so clear, we could see straight to the bottom, with looked like millions of crystals were embedded in it. Crystal plants grew along the banks of the spring, the light from the dazzling butterfly's wings, and the moon that lay across the sky directly above us, beaming light down as if it were the sun. It wasn't bright though. It was dark, and the air of the place reminded me of the colour purple, everything being bathed in a wondrous midnight blue or purple light. I heard Yuna sigh contentedly.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" I asked her softly. She jerked her head up, her eyes meeting mine for the first time since we'd left the Thunder Plains. They made me sad, how cloudy and pain steeped they seemed, and she smiled softly, sadly, and nodded her head,.

"Yes," she whispered. I looked up and saw a tree, just like the other trees in Macalania, twisting and turning, light in colour. However, on the branches, were huge spheres of light, colour darting below the surface, like pyreflies were being held prisoner inside.

"This place is what spheres are made of. It absorbs and preserves people's memories," Auron explained, pointing out the tree with it's many spheres of colour. Suddenly, the water from the spring gave a violent jolt, and water began to rise off the surface. Wakka leapt back.

"What's that?!" he demanded. Auron pulled his sword out again and sighed.

"Fiends are also attracted to these places." We instantly all leapt into action.

Yuna stepped back away from the fiend, and began chanting Haste, waving her staff in time with the poetic words, flicking it towards one of us when she wanted the spell to be cast upon us. The fiend cast Thunder at Wakka, who shook violently when it struck, shaking it off by bouncing on the tips of his toes. Lulu took her opportunity, casting Watera in an attempt to foil the fiend. It did take some visible damage, but after a few seconds recovering, it turned purple, and pyreflies flew around it, as it switched from a Thunder fiend to a-- well, there was the problem. I ran towards, trying to do some damage but swiping at it with my sword, but it didn't do a thing. It was like I was just sloshing my sword around in a big bowl of water without a care I in the world. Wakka's Blitzball didn't really do much damage to it either, and it looked like Black Magic would be the only thing that would work in this case. However, without knowing what element the fiend was in at the moment, Lulu couldn't start casting any spells, for fear that it would just be the same element as the fiend, and help it regain power. Auron instructed us to allow ourselves to be hit once every time before it's Elemental Shift, so that Lulu would know what spell to hit it with. We all did just that, Kimahri taking a serious bite of Blizzard, but recovering in seconds, thanks to Yuna's Haste spell, and the fact he was a Ronso and lived in the coldest part of Spira. I wasn't particularly comfortable with being hit by Fire. I knew it wasn't real and it was just enchanted to be like fire, but it still was too hot, and the flames licked their way up my shorts, onto my chest, making me feel too warm, and bothered like I wanted to collapse. Yuna cast Nulblaze on me halfway through my ordeal, and it made the flames slightly more bearable. However, with this method of hit and discover, Lulu was able to weaken the fiend enough that it couldn't shift elements every time that she hit it, which allowed us to get a few smacks in, Auron dealing a good blow to the fiend's core with a sharp jab. Finally, Lulu cast a good blow of Thundaga, and the fiend gave in, dissolving into a pool of useless water once more. I should have been laughing out loud, but I was serious.

My mind was still lingering on what Auron had wanted to show me in here in the first place. I saw it in one moment.

He tossed a sphere at me, and Wakka gaped, poking it.

"Wow, this is old! Don't know if you can play it back," he mused, watching me prod the sphere in rapt fascination. Auron stepped forth.

"Jecht left it here ten years ago," he said lowly, adjusting his glasses. "Play it back. It'll work." I nodded, and lifted it up to eye level. Hm… how did you get one of these things to work again. Yuna was at my side, and she slid the sphere from between my hands carefully, and pressed a big button that had some weird language written on it. She handed it back to me without a word, and I smiled in thanks at her. She nodded, and cast her eyes to the ground, and I could feel the sadness emanating from her. I decided to focus on that later, as my newly acquired Jecht sphere was playing.

*

_Two men were walking down a long aisle, one dressed in huge navy robes, and the other dressed in a familiar red ensemble, the arm that was crippled now, perfectly fine and working. His hair was longer too, and he didn't have silver or greys, his eyes were both open wide and bright, no dark glasses hiding them from our view. The person taking the sphere was backing up, and the man in the robes, who I recognised as Lord Braska, smiled absently at them._

"_What are you doing?" Auron asked, smirking at the person taking the sphere._

"_You said it was gonna be a long trip, right? Bet we'll see a lot of neat things?" I recognised the rasping drawl of my father, and Jecht stumbled a little, whilst trying to keep the sphere up. Auron snickered. "I thought I'd record it all to show to my wife and kid, you know." Auron snorted and shoved Jecht in the shoulder as he walked past._

"_This isn't a pleasure cruise," he mumbled._

"_Hey Braska! Isn't this supposed to be some sort of grand adventure? Where are the cheering fans? The crying women?" my father moaned, and Braska shook his head, smiling a little in the way Yuna sometimes did when she was happy, or amused. _

"_Nope, this is it. Too many goodbyes… people think twice about leaving," he explained, and his eyes seemed distant, as he thought of his little daughter perhaps. My father snorted._

"_If you say so," he laughed. "Well, it better be a lot more colourful when we get back! A parade for Braska, vanquisher of Sin!" he cheered, and the sphere recorder vibrated, as if he was jumping around while holding it. Braska just laughed in a pleasant manner, and walked on with Auron, calling back to Jecht._

"_We should go. Day will break soon." The sphere went dark. _

_*_

_The sphere lit up again, and this time, a very disgruntled looking Auron was standing, as far away from Jecht as he could possibly get it seemed, in a very snowy place next to a run down travel agency. He was scowling terrifically, and I heard Braska's chuckle from behind the sphere lens as he held it steady on the both of them. _

"_Auron? Could you stand closer to him?" he asked. Auron made a growling noise, and I watched his fingers clench over the muscles in his arms as he folded them tightly. He walked over reluctantly, to stand beside my father, teeth gritted. Jecht smirked. The sphere recorder jerked up and down as Braska nodded. "Good! That should do it!" he announced. Jecht turned to Auron and snickered._

"_What's the matter? Afraid I might bite?" he sneered. Auron sighed, looking bored with his taunts. _

"_Jecht," he said tiredly. Jecht shrugged his shoulders and walked forth, rubbing the back of his neck in the same manner as I so often did. He smiled fondly then, a smile I'd never seen before in my life when he was with me._

"_Braska, you should take one too! It'll be the perfect gift for little Yuna!" he said, and his voice was kind as he spoke of someone else's child in a manner in which he had never spoke of me. The sphere nodded again._

"_I suppose," Braska said nonchalantly. Auron stepped forth, looking ruffled._

"_Lord Braska, we shouldn't be wasting our time like this," he said seriously, and behind him my dad made stupid faces at the sphere, mocking Auron. _

"_What's the hurry, man?" he groaned. Jecht walked past Auron laughing, who swore and followed him off, shaking his finger like a scolding parent._

"_Let me tell you what the hurry is…" _

_The screen went dark, as Braska left to try and keep the peace between the two bickering Guardians. _

_*_

_The screen brightened again, and this time, we were looking at the glen we were standing in now, Jecht, my father, sitting cross-legged in front of the dazzling spring, the sphere slightly askew as he had tried to rest it on a rock, and it had fallen over. He smiled, a little nervously, not really like himself at all._

"_Hey. If you're sitting there, watching this, it means you're stuck in Spira, like me. You might not know when you'll get back home, but you better not be crying. Although… I guess I'd understand. But you know what? There's a time when you have to stop crying and move on. You'll be fine. Remember, Tidus, you're _my_ son. And… well… uh… oh, never mind, I'm no good at these things. …Anyways… I believe in you. Be good. Goodbye." _

_The screen on the sphere went dark, as my father said his last goodbye. _

_*_

I snorted, and shoved the sphere into Auron's hands, not believing one word of what my father had just said. When had he ever been proud of me? When had he ever acknowledged that I was his son? Never, that's when. And then he leaves one sentimental sphere in Spira, that I might have never discovered, and tells me not to cry, just like he always did?

"He actually sounded serious there for a minute. But it was too late," I told Auron bitterly, who sighed and walked away from me, stowing the sphere away in a pocket of his cloak.

"He was serious. Jecht had already accepted his fate. Jecht… he… he was always talking about going home, to Zanarkand. That's why he took all those pictures. To show them to you when he returned. But as he journeyed with us, and came to understand Spira and Braska's resolve… it… happened gradually… but Jecht changed. He decided he would join Braska in his fight against Sin," Auron finished his speech by turning to me, eyes grave, watching for my next move. I frowned, trying to process this information. My dad had actually wanted to give me something? Wanted to bond with me through the adventures he had in Spira with Auron and Braska? He had… changed. Auron had said it had been gradual, but my father was different…? Maybe not as pompous and self-centred, maybe he actually cared about other people, just like I'd always wanted my father to.

"So then… he gave up on going home?" I asked Auron, who nodded his head deeply.

"That was his decision," he told me, walking past without another word, towards the main road again, through to the vast outskirts of Macalania. I guess I understood… My old man, he knew there was no way back home. Back to Zanarkand. He wanted to go home, but he knew he couldn't. He gave up… but besides, even if he could've found a way to go back, I don't think he would have left his friends behind before their journey was complete. Maybe… I had to start accepting my own fate too.

But what was that? Was I destined to play Blitz here? Was I destined… for Yuna? No matter what was happening with Seymour, I felt somewhere deep within me that me and Yuna were meant for each other. I had always thought that was such a corny thing to say… but I think it was the truth.

As we were walking out, Auron caught me at his side.

"He loved you. He… just didn't know how to express it… he said," he told me. I scowled, and shrugged him away.

"Enough about my old man, okay?" I asked, trailing off a little. Auron nodded and backed away to walk with Kimahri.

"I just… thought you should know."

The little pathway led out of the forest, and into a huge tundra wasteland, a gigantic frozen over lake shining to one side. Lake Macalania. A travel agency stood aside the road, but Auron didn't feel the need to go in, as we were so nearly at Macalania Temple. So close to Seymour… so close to Yuna's fate…

Tromell Guado was awaiting us at the bottom of the slope that led across the frozen surface of Lake Macalania. He bowed deeply, his wrinkled, weathered face creasing as he smiled at Yuna.

"Lady Yuna! We have been expecting you! We were surprised you decided to come so soon! Pleasantly surprised, of course! Lord Seymour sends his apologies for having left so suddenly without notice," Tromell said, and bowed again with his well thought out apology. Yuna smiled kindly, and shook her head.

"It's quite alright," she said kindly, making Tromell smile all over again, the varicose branches that grew beneath his green jutting out, mossy skin freaking me out here just as much as it did in Guadosalam. "I have one question, if I may sir."

"Milady?" Tromell croaked. Yuna fiddled with her fingers before looking back up at him and launching the full force of her devastating eyes on the Guado, her Al Bhed one doing most of the dazzling work, but the blue one had a slight mystery to it too, and I looked away.

"I want to keep journeying, even if I decide to marry. Do you think Maester Seymour would let me?" she asked cautiously, and Tromell's thick mossy brows knotted together. He smiled.

"But of course milady! Lord Seymour wishes nothing else, I'm sure," he reassured her. He then reached out to take Yuna's hand and pulled her to him. He turned to us. "Well, I must follow Guado tradition! I must ask you to wait here, a little while longer," he told us. I didn't like the idea of leaving Yuna alone anywhere near that scum Seymour or any of his creepy little henchmen. But, the rest of my fellow Guardians nodded, Auron somewhat forcedly, and Tromell hurried off with Yuna, who was worrying her teeth against her lips, preparing herself for speaking with Seymour. She turned before going completely and Auron smiled.

"Don't worry. We're all with you," he said, and Yuna nodded gratefully. He chuckled then and turned to me, grinning. "Sorry, Tidus. That was your line," he pointed out, and I took that as an okay to run straight to Yuna and sweep her off her feet, telling her she wasn't allowed to marry Seymour the pervert. I ran after Tromell and Yuna, sliding down the slope a little, and realised I couldn't do that… So I stuck my two fingers in my mouth and whistled hard. Yuna glanced up and smiled broadly, putting her fingers in her mouth and whistling back in reply. I grinned widely, and turned back to the Guardians, feeling much closer to Yuna that I had since the episode in the Thunder Plains with her wedding announcement.

Tromell and Yuna made their way across the frozen surface of Lake Macalania, and before I got back up to the other Guardian's, Rikku yelled, and Wakka swore.

"Al Bhed!" he yelled, before leading us all jumping headfirst down onto the thin ice, running at top speed towards Yuna and Tromell, who were being circled by Al Bhed on snow machina. As we drew up, and Auron told Tromell to stand back, he tried to lead Yuna away, but she wrenched her hand from his grasp, and stayed to use White Magic on us. Rikku was squaring up to three Al Bhed in masks, yelling at them in their tongue, using some words I recognised like the one for Princess.

That's when I was reminded of Rin's words in the travel agency on the Mi'ihen Highroad, and remembered Rikku's status among the Al Bhed. We wouldn't have any problems whatsoever. Hopefully. Suddenly, all of the Al Bhed dashed away, and I thought Rikku had done it and convinced them to stay away from us. That's when I heard the voice.

"Rikku!" I glanced up, and standing above us on one of the snow covered hills surrounding the lake, was freaky Mohawk leader guy who had captured me on Rikku's ship when I had first arrived in Spira. I gasped, as he laughed cruelly.

"_Tuh'd ehdanvana, un oui femm kad drec_!" he yelled, and beside him, a huge machina tank lurched forth, sending snow and rocks tumbling down on top of us. Rikku scowled up at the top of the hill and yelled.

"_Pnudran, ruf luimt oui_?!" she shouted. He ignored her and kept on talking, pointing at the tank, and struggling to keep the laughter from his voice.

"_Ouin bnaleuic _magic _yht_ Aeons _yna caymat_!" he screeched. Rikku leapt back in horror.

"Oh no!" she squeaked.

"Translation?" I asked.

"He's gonna use an anti-magic field on us!" she shrieked, running back into a battle formation with Lulu, Auron and Wakka. I did that too, next to Kimahri, but since an anti-magic field was being used, Lulu and Yuna would be of no use. We would have to do this the old fashioned way. Brute, force, and ignorance. The machina slid down from the banks, and landed before us, engines and fans whirring menacingly, the anti-magic field being cast by a little flying machina that buzzed around from place to place wildly.

Wakka aimed correctly, and fired a perfect shot at the annoying little buzzing thing, sending it flying to the ground. He laughed and then urged Lulu to come forth.

"Lu! Cast your spells now!" he commanded. Lulu obliged, and cast a heavy blow of Thundaga at the machina, causing it to shudder and shake wildly, before lurching forth in an assault, whacking her. Auron used a special Magic Break on the machina, and although it was immune to the worst effects, it still dealt a bad blow, and I'd worked out why the anti-magic shield had been used. The Al Bhed machina was very vulnerable to all types of magic, Aeons, Black Magic… they were scared of it. Lulu wasn't looking very good after the swipe from the machina, so Yuna waved her arms carefully around, casting Cura upon her, focusing all her energy on healing Lulu. The Black Mage stood up straight again, and I helped as best I could, by casting Haste on her, making her ten times as fast, and therefore making it easier to get a lot of magical damage done to the machina before the Al Bhed repaired the shield. We were too late though, as they had launched a new pod out the back of the tank, sending another shield up, rendering our magic powerless. Wakka did his job again, running forth and shooting hard at the little dizzy ball, making it wither and die when his steely Blitzball rammed into it. Now, Auron ran forth and hit it with a special Armour Break, causing two of the dangerous looking cannons on the front of machina to go tumbling off. Lulu kept up with the Thunder spells, making them stronger each time, making the machina sizzle wildly. However, the anti-magic shield applied to the machina too, and now it could cast spells. It revved up, and sent a Mana Beam shooting out at us all, seriously injuring Lulu, making her too weak for magic. Yuna ran forth and leant both hands on Lulu's back, whispering the incantation to the spell 'Life' bringing Lulu back from the brink and making her strong once more, the Black Mage standing up tall and straight. I cast more Haste on her then, wanting as much performance from her as we could get, and she reached into the sky and cast Thundaga on the machina. Auron ran forth and used Mental Break on the machina, creating more damage than I thought it would have, and when he ran back, Lulu was ready to hit it with another Thundara spell. The cannon were the Mana Beam, the great burst of red light had shot from vibrated like crazy, and came flying off, and Lulu stood triumphant before the machina, her magic and our teamwork having paid off.

It whirred and fizzed and caught alight, and as soon as it had begun, it stopped, becoming a dead, useless machina once more.

"Milady!" Tromell emerged from wherever he had been hiding, and led Yuna away from us, towards the temple and Seymour once more. When they were just out of my line of vision, I heard the Al Bhed leader calling Rikku's name again.

"Rikku!" he yelled, sounding tremendously pissed off. However, when he spoke next, he sounded nervous. "_E femm damm vydran_!" Rikku blew her sandy blonde bangs from her eyes and shrugged, not caring.

"_E ys dra _Guardian _uv_ Yuna _oui caa_?" she asked him pleadingly. "Yuna _ec cyva! Fa femm Kiynt ran! Cra ec cyva!" _The Al Bhed leader frowned and pointed at her.

"_Oui tu drec ymuha, cecdan!" _he yelped angrily, turning and running far away from her. Rikku turned back to us, to see our confused faces. She giggled nervously.

"I… told him I was a Guardian. Well, guess I had to really!" she said as brightly as the disbelieving, horrified look on Wakka's face would allow.

"How come you speak Al Bhed?" he asked slowly. He and Rikku glanced at me and Lulu, and I began stuttered like wild. Rikku hung her head and addressed Wakka.

"Because… I'm Al Bhed. And that…? Was my brother," she said quietly, not meeting Wakka's eyes. His eyes widened hugely, and his nostrils flared in anger.

"You knew?!" he shot at me and Lulu. I stuttered again like a fool, but Lulu nodded and just shrugged.

"We didn't tell you because we knew you'd be upset, when really you have no reason to be upset. Rikku is a person, just like the rest of us. Asides from her anatomy being slightly different, there's nothing new there," Lulu said simply, and I watched as Wakka's face got a deeper, and deeper shade of purple in his anger.

"Ah… this is great!" he said sarcastically, turning to Rikku, such contempt in his eyes, I had to flinch away. I hadn't even ever seen _Lulu_ this mad before. "To think, I've been travelling with an Al Bhed, a _heathen_!" he spat. Rikku looked up at him, into his eyes, the only time she had properly done that ever, and he backed away, blessing himself as they sparkling, drawing him in despite himself.

"You're wrong!" Rikku yelled at him. "We have nothing against Yevon!" she raged. He came forward then and almost growled at her.

"Oh yeah? Then how come you use the _forbidden machina_?!" he spluttered. "You know what that means?! Sin was born because people used forbidden machina!"

"You got proof?" Rikku retorted, smugly. "Show me proof."

"It's in the teachings!" Wakka yelled. "Oh, wait, not that you'd know! Being a _heathen_ and all that!" We all flinched at the word heathen. There was no way in hell that you could describe Rikku, the sweetest girl on Spira, as a heathen.

"That's not good enough!" she screamed back. "Yevon says this! Yevon says that!"

"Well then you tell me! Where did Sin come from, ah?" he shot at her, smirking cruelly. Who knew Wakka could be so malicious.

"I… I don't know! How am I supposed to know?! I'm only fifteen years old!" she raged. Wakka snorted.

"You bad mouth Yevon and that's all you can come up with?" he asked her, nastily.

"But… Wakka, that doesn't mean you should do whatever they say without thinking!" Rikku replied, her voice softer now, trying to be gentler when speaking to him, trying to calm him down. "Nothing will ever change that way!"

"Nothing has to change!" Wakka bellowed. Rikku's eyes pleaded with him, as she scrambled forth, wringing her hands.

"You want Sin to keep coming back?! There might be a way to stop it, you know!" she insisted. Wakka snorted, disregarding her.

"Sin will be gone whenever we atone for our past wrongs!" he yelled at her, folding his arms and looking indignant. Rikku was mad again, and she waved her arms around frantically looking like a windmill. Her eyes were burning as she fixed them on Wakka's skull.

"When?! How?!" she shouted back, her syrupy voice fiercer than it had ever been. It seemed she felt just as strongly about this as Wakka did about how wondrous Yevon was.

"If we keep faith in Yevon's teachings, it will be gone one day!" Wakka threw a fist in the air and looked victorious, but Rikku merely rolled her eyes, and folded her arms, hip popping to one side, head tilted to the right, as she surveyed Wakka.

"Why do I even bother?" she muttered, more to herself that to Wakka, who didn't seem to be even listening to her.

"Rikku."

All of us turned to look behind us, to where Auron was standing, one boot propped atop the machina snow mobile, watching it. He had spoken Rikku's name impatiently, as if he didn't care for anymore of their bickering. Rikku immediately tried to look professional again, stopped pouting her lips, and purposefully using her eyes as weapons on Wakka. She hated it when Auron scolded her, made her feel like a stupid little child, so she straightened up, and stuck her shoulders back. Auron looked up at her. "Will this work?" He jerked his head to one side at the machina. Rikku nodded, and danced over, getting down on her hands and knees next to the machina.

"Yup!" she chimed, reached into one of the many pockets she had strapped to her body, and pulling out a little spanner. Wakka growled.

"We're not travelling in that, are we?!" he demanded, angrily. Realisation swept his features. "Wait. So Auron is an Al Bhed too, is he?" I almost laughed at that. When would Wakka learn that unless they had green eyes, golden skin and sandy blonde hair, they weren't Al Bhed? I sighed.

"Come on Wakka! I mean, getting angry just because you found out Rikku's an Al Bhed. You guys got along fine until now, didn't you?" I stressed, watching Wakka's furious face carefully. I didn't want him to totally blow his lid and start making accusations I was Al Bhed too.

"That's… different…" he muttered. I shook my head.

"Well, I don't claim to know much about Spira. And I probably know even less about the Al Bhed, but… I know Rikku's a good person. She's just… Rikku!" I said forcefully, and the cute girl in question poked her head up from the machina she was working on and threw me a dazzling smile. She returned to the machina, poking around in the engine, dark grease smeared across her cheeks, arms and thighs in her too short shorts. Wakka glanced at Lulu, and knew he was defeated.

"Lu?" he asked hopefully. Her mouth quirked into a small half smile.

"Think of it as an opportunity to get to know the Al Bhed better," she said quietly. Wakka yelled out loud, and stormed off away from us. I made to follow after him, and try to reconcile him a little, but Auron stopped me.

"Let him go. He needs time alone," he told me. Rikku bit her lip, as she squeezed her arm into a tight spot to reach the fuel tank in the machina, to check if there was still fuel left. Pulling her hand back out, which was covered in grease, she wiped it uncaringly on her shorts and glanced up.

"I'm sorry…" she began to apologise, eyes wide. Lulu shook her head, and walked to Rikku, who was now lying on her back to get underneath the machina and pry around in the underbelly of it.

"You've done nothing to apologise for," Lulu assured her. I grinned, and punched a fist in the air, excited to get on a machina for the very first time. Since I'd come to Spira, I had thought it looked like a lot of fun.

"Alright! Let's go!" I cheered. Rikku pulled herself out from under the machina her repairs finished, and Kimahri walked over to another one, turning it the right way up with a flick of his powerful wrists. Rikku giggled at me.

"You sure you know how to drive this?" she asked me, grinning wildly.

"Better than Kimahri does!" I laughed, as the Ronso hit a button and the machina jerked wildly around speeding off towards the temple. I clambered atop the machina Rikku had repaired, and Lulu followed, settling herself down side-saddle on the back, like a proper lady. I smirked, and revved the machina's engine, speeding off with Lulu holding tightly onto my waist, her hands cold, her long dark nails brushing against my exposed skin.

"I hope that you're not too mad at Wakka," she said as we were flying along, the snow whacking up the sides of the mobile. I shrugged and smiled.

"Hey, not at all!" I assured her. I had no reason to be angry with Wakka. He and Rikku shared a difference in opinions, and although I sort of agreed with Rikku more, it wasn't my fight to argue in, so I was just going to leave it. However… I did think that calling Rikku a heathen was harsh. I mean… how could she be classified as a heathen ever? That, I still didn't understand. Lulu nodded and raised her voice a little.

"Thank you." I changed the subject.

"Say, what do you think of Rikku?" I called back to her. Lulu's hands held tighter to my waist.

"Me? Well… she's fun to be with," she said, her voice not sounding as dry and toneless as it usually did. She sounded pleasant, if anything, and it shocked me a little into silence, before I spoke again.

"That all?"

"Well… I can tell she's not a bad person," Lulu mused. I nodded. She saw it too. The fact Rikku wasn't bad, wasn't evil, just because of what some old priests said was correct.

"Yeah. But you know what the problem is? She's just another Al Bhed to Wakka," I said, and felt Lulu nod in agreement. "Wakka's head is as hard as rock." Whoops, talking to his fiancée here! "Or… you know, something like that," I added sheepishly. Lulu snickered.

"There's more to it than that… Wakka doesn't like the Al Bhed, because of Chappu," she reminded me. I nodded, suddenly remembering the conversation we'd had what seemed like years ago.

"Oh yeah! He forgot my sword and had to fight with a machina weapon, right? And killed by Sin…" I gulped, as I thought this over. My father… my father had murdered Wakka's little brother! My father was the reason Wakka hated Rikku, because he didn't blame Sin, the greatest antagonist of all time, but the Al Bhed for the machina Chappu had used whenever he'd tried to fight. None of that was the Al Bhed's fault. If Chappu had remembered his sword, or hey, not even fought Sin at all and just become a Blitzer like he was supposed to- then he'd still be alive. "Killed by my old man…" I growled under my breath. "Damn you Jecht…"

"What?!" Lulu asked loudly, voice shocked. I blanched, and realised I'd said all of that aloud.

"Oh! Nothing!" I assured her. Then, I decided to test Lulu's knowledge of Spira, and whether what Auron had said was true and Sin really was my dad. I knew that he was, but I was kind of still searching for a way out of it. "Hey, Lu? Can a human ever become Sin?" She raised a thin midnight black brow and shrugged.

"I can't say that I know… but why?" her voice was curious, and I dared not glance back at her inquiring features that were surely preparing to probe me with questions.

"Oh, no reason! Just a thought," I tried to be as nonchalant as I could, but it didn't work. Lulu pressed her deep purple lips into a thin line and sighed.

"Sin is the punishment, the incarnation of crimes we have committed…" I nodded, understanding what she was saying.

"So no one really knows what it is," I said simply.

"No one really needs to know. You run or you fight. That's all there is to it. No sense brooding over it," she said in a final sort of way like nothing about that would ever change. I frowned.

"What? That's all? You mean you don't even wonder?" Lulu laughed softly, and ran a finger down my back absently. I smiled, thinking of how much our relationship had progressed. Now, I could call her a good friend, and not be afraid of being fried by Thunder, or frozen with Blizzard if I did say it. Lulu brushed her bang from her ruby red eye, and fluttered her lashes as the chilly wind whipped around us. It was still a pleasant chill, just like the forest.

"You really do come from a world with no Sin… just like you say." I smiled. Lulu had finally accepted the truth. That I was from Zanarkand and that I wanted to get back home. Or maybe Lulu even understood that part of me… didn't want to go home. Because a part of me was fixed on saving Yuna from marrying that cretin.

I dropped Lulu off at the temple, and had to ride back alone to pick up Rikku, who was jiggling from side to side, her body hardly covered enough to be in a harsh climate like this. She clambered onto the snow machina without a word, and fixed her arms in The Death Grip around my waist. I wondered absently where Al Bhed came from, and why the cold made her so jittery.

I bit my lip before speaking.

"Uh… sorry about Wakka," I said, trying to make her feel better about the whole ordeal. She shrugged, but I felt her fingers tighten on my jacket, and she wriggled closer, pressing her cheek up against my back.

"Yeah… he didn't have to be so mean, you know?" she chirped quietly. "I almost cried…"

I paled. Awh crap. Did she expect some sort of comforting phrase? I wasn't very good at this. I stumbled over my words and couldn't get any comforting phrases out.

"Uh… Rikku?"

"Just kidding!" she assured, voice slightly brighter, but eyes still dark in colour. They seemed to reflect her emotions. "I'm okay… really! At least… you're still nice…" she blushed terrifically, and her grip tightened on my waist. She was like a little sister to me, and we had barely known each other very long. But Wakka had made my surrogate sister upset, and if I did that to Yuna, he'd pummel me. Even though I'd never do something like that to Yuna, but still… suddenly, I was really pissed off he'd hurt Rikku's feelings. Suddenly, Rikku was speaking again, high-pitched and questioning. "Hey, Tidus? Do I look like Yunie?"

What a weird question! I thought it over. They both had snubbed little noses, and sometimes when Yuna tied her hair back out of her eyes, the shape of her face really reminded me of Rikku.

"Huh?" She traced patterns on my back with her finger before speaking again.

"Well… Yunie's mother is my dad's sister… do you get it?"

Yuna and Rikku were cousins?! That was why she had been accepted as her Guardian so quickly! That was why sometimes I felt like they were telepathic the way they just seemed to know what the other was thinking! Rikku snuggled her face in to my back more.

"Awesome! I guess you're Guarding your family then, right?!" I said cheerily. Rikku clutched onto me again.

"Yunie's not the only one… I want to protect." I frowned. "We Al Bhed… we want to protect all of the Summoners! Let's say they… sacrifice themselves too much to bring happiness to Spira…"

Wait. Did Rikku just say… sacrifice themselves? What did that mean?!

"Rikku, wait, sacrifice themselves?" I asked desperately. Rikku's fingers loosened on my shirt.

"You know… the p-pilgrimage," she said, her voice falsely cheery, her smile not meeting her eyes. Of course! Why hadn't I thought of that? Why'd I skipped to a bad conclusion so hurriedly?

"Oh! Right! But… I think for Yuna, the pilgrimage is everything. I don't think she minds, you know?" I replied, happy it wasn't anything serious. "You're going to help her too, aren't you Rikku? So you shouldn't say she's sacrificing herself. Okay? It'll make her sad- Rikku!"

Rikku had leapt on me in such a vicious embrace, that the vehicle we were travelling on swerved wildly, and I had to tear my arms free from her grasp to steer it straight again. Tears glistened in Rikku's sparkling emerald eyes.

"I hope you're right," she breathed.

That worried me. More than anything like Yuna marrying Seymour, or not being able to return home to Zanarkand. But the fact that Rikku wanted me to make the confirmation to her that Yuna was sacrificing herself for Spira? Like she desperately wished that Yuna wasn't sacrificing herself for Spira? This confused me, and as we landed at the doors to Macalania Temple, and climbed off the snow machina, I watched Rikku carefully, as Yuna's little Al Bhed cousin scrambled off the machina, away from me towards Lulu, and begged to get into the temple as quick as possible. There was something she wasn't telling me. Something that they had all forgotten to tell me… Something about Yuna and sacrifice. What Rikku had let slip now plagued my mind with bad thoughts, which were momentarily swept aside as we entered through what I thought were the doors to the temple.

Instead, they were just doors that led through to a great staircase, that twirled and spiralled around, laden with snow. I glanced above when Lulu pointed, and saw that Macalania Temple was holding Lake Macalania up! Above the roof, I could see the sparkling, clear waters, and the frozen surface that we had battled the Al Bhed tank machina on not so long ago. We walked down the twisting, turning walkways, until we came to the door of the temple, which was icy and made of twisting silver, fashioned to look like icicles, diamonds scattered across them so in addition to the crystal winged butterflies, they shone. I wondered what Aeon Macalania was home to. I was aroused from my thoughts, but a strict voice.

"Halt! The likes are of her are not welcome in this hallowed place," the voice yelled, and it didn't take a genius to figure out who he was talking about. Rikku cowered back from the door in fear of the angry looking priest, who blessed himself, and scowled at her menacingly.

"She is a Guardian," Auron said simply. Rikku pouted, and nodded her head a little. The priest looked like he'd been slapped round the face.

"An Al Bhed?! A Guardian?!" he demanded, eyes wide. "Preposterous!"

"I've decided to be Yunie's Guardian now. And that's all I want," Rikku said surely. Auron nodded, and carried on past the priest, not as much throwing a second glance back. When we entered the temple, and the doors swung closed behind us, Auron nodded at Rikku.

"That is all one needs."

I was busy preparing myself for seeing Seymour with Yuna, his… fiancée to be. I was preparing myself for seeing him, perhaps drag his horrible, clawed hands along her delicate shoulders or such.

I wasn't and hadn't prepared or was preparing for the thing that actually came next. Little did I know that everything I had learnt in Spira so far, everything I had thought to be the truth here-

Was a lie.

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**Thanks for reading! I just hope it's okay, I tried to catch all the errors, but I was watching Ugly Betty at the same time, so I might have missed some . Every chapter, we're getting closer to the Macalania spring scene! I'm so excited! Please review, it'll make me really happy to know your thoughts on this chapter! On every chapter! :)**

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	17. Seymour

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**I'm made you wait far too long for this chapter to ramble . Please enjoy, despite me being an awful person :) Complete apology featured at the end :) Thank you for bearing with me! I'm kind of pissed right now, because was being a bitch and not letting me align anything centre, so that this chapter might look slightly retarded and annoying at times.****

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**Seymour.**

**_Tidus_**

The inside of Macalania Temple was exactly the same as every other temple we had been in, except for the fact icicles that hung from the staffs which were supposed to be set alight with fire. No, ice hung from those, and the statues of the High Summoners too. There was a thin layer of ice across the mosaic floor, and as in the past temples, the mosaic of the Aeon that belonged here was designed into the floor. It wasn't what I had expected. Ixion was a unicorn. Ifrit was a… big… dog… thing, and Valefor was a phoenix. This Aeon looked like it was… a _woman_.

"Lulu?" I muttered. She looked up at me, and I saw she too was gazing at the mosaic beneath our feet. "Who's this Aeon?" Lulu smiled softly.

"Well, her name, when she was alive was Shiva. I expect Yuna will just call her by that title. I would tell you her story, but it's really not mine to tell. You should ask Yuna. Summoner, and Aeon are connected by their hearts. Yuna will be able to tell you in greater detail than I," Lulu said, voice low and rasping, as it echoed throughout the stony, chilling room. I could see my breath condense, and the individual ice crystals clung to the air in front of me.

"Lady Yuna's Guardians! I have not thanked you yet, for earlier!" The voice of Tromell Guado called out from behind us, and we turned to see him marching proudly across the mosaic, smile stretching his mossy covered face, and his bark like skin. "Thanks to you, I was able to bring Lady Yuna here, safe and sound." He bowed deeply, and I swore I heard the sound of branches brushing against each other, as if it were spring time and the breeze was shaking the buds and the leaves. I shuddered, as Tromell should up straight, and I heard it again. Then, he turned to go, and we were aroused by yet another familiar voice. Sitting patiently on the steps that led to the Cloister of Trails, was Shelinda, the Yevonite nun we had befriended.

"Hello! Lady Yuna is getting married to Maester Seymour! Isn't that wonderful?!" she chimed. I shrugged, and tried to look pleased. Shelinda saw right through me in an instant. She smiled, knowingly, yet a little sadly, I thought. "You are unhappy." I stumbled over my words, stuttered wildly. Finally, I gave in, and my hands fell to my sides, as Shelinda surveyed me with a chocolate gaze.

"It's complicated…"

"Do you know where Yunie is?" Rikku totally butted into our conversation, and Shelinda gasped loudly, and blessed herself before Rikku. The young girl sighed, and retreated back to my side, tugging at the goggles that hung around her neck, and shoving them up her chin and over her sparkling eyes. To make Shelinda less uncomfortable, I guessed. The nun stood, and wrung her hands together, directing her answer at me, and averting her eyes from Rikku's pouting figure.

"I think the Lady Yuna went into the Cloister of Trials with Maester Seymour-"

Before she could finish, Auron had swept past her, powering his way up the steps, Kimahri hot on his heels. I followed quickly too, not pausing to say goodbye to Shelinda, and Rikku stayed close to my side at all times. Lulu came directly after us, and Wakka made a point of bowing and saying goodbye to Shelinda, his silent way of showing her he wasn't happy about Rikku being here either. Auron stuck his hand out at the priest who was guarding the entrance.

"Lady Yuna has given you a sphere. It is imperative that we see it, right now," he said coldly. The priest's eyes widened considerably at the sight of the legendary Guardian, and he fumbled around within his thick, billowing blue robes, until he produced the sphere of Jyscal that Yuna had forbidden any of us to see. Auron took it swiftly, and retreated back down the steps, and into a side room, where a few nuns sat alone, talking quietly. At the sight of us, a huge Summoning party, they bowed and left promptly, Auron turning to me, sphere held aloft, a wry smile on his features.

"This should answer quite a few questions," he muttered, handing the sphere to me, and nodding to turn it on as everybody gathered around. Lulu and Wakka were watching in fascination, Kimahri was standing protectively near the door, Auron was waiting patiently, and Rikku was jumping around, trying to see above all of us tall people, and settling for crawling in underneath our feet and poking her head up in the centre of the circle. I pressed the play button, and waited as the sphere loaded, and Lord Jyscal Guado's face appeared.

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"_What I am about to tell you is the unclouded truth. I swear on my honour as a Guado, I am telling the truth. Listen to me very carefully- for I will tell you the truth about my son, Seymour. His mind is closed to even me, a Maester of Yevon. Yet, I feel the clouds of darkness burning in his heart. He is using Yevon, the Guado and even the Summoners and he must be stopped. If not, he will surely bring destruction and chaos to Spira. I will… leave this world soon. Killed, by my own son. But I do not fault him. Because I was not wise enough. He has suffered, and become twisted. I could not protect him or his mother from the world and it's cruelty. I will accept death as punishment for my deeds. But… whoever is watching this- I implore you to stop Seymour! Stop… my son…" Jyscal's voice was like sandpaper being rubbed against the roughest of woods, his face a true Guado's, weathered and ancient, and as he spoke, heart- breakingly sorry. The sphere faded away from view, as the Maester slipped away into darkness. _

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I stopped watching the sphere as it shut off, and glanced around at my fellow Guardians. Kimahri looked worried, as did Lulu. Wakka looked like he was in denial that any Maester of Yevon could ever do such a thing as murder his father, or use the teachings against them. Rikku's eyes were wide and glittering as per usual, and Auron's mouth was settled in a twisted smirk.

"Wonderful," he spat, sarcastically. Rikku clutched at one of her ribbons.

"I knew that guy was trouble! Oh… will Yunie be okay?" she squeaked, looking from each of our faces.

I had known it too. I told everybody Seymour was bad news! Don't trust him, I said, he's done something real bad, or is planning to do something real bad, and look! I was correct on both accounts. And they'd all brushed me off and said it was only because I had a crush on Yuna that I didn't like him. I clenched my teeth, trying to keep all of these snarling comments to myself, my heart pounding a mile a minute. Yuna… Yuna was alone with him! She was somewhere in the Cloister of Trials, with some freak of a Guado, who had murdered his own father! And we were standing here in silence?! I threw the sphere down on the low little table the nuns had rested at, and made to spin towards the door, but Auron caught my arm, and nodded his head.

"We all owe you an apology. You were correct about Seymour. I speak for all of us," he shot an angry glare at Wakka, "when I say that we should have listened to you. If we had, Yuna wouldn't be in this mess right now." The rest of the Guardians nodded their heads. Kimahri put a great paw on my shoulder, making my knees buckle under the added weight. He grunted.

"Tidus and Kimahri were right. Yuna in danger. Now, we must be true Guardians. Must save Yuna," he growled, and without a glance at the rest of them, I nodded, and followed him out the door, both of us taking swift strides to climb the steps to the Cloister of Trials. Wakka was reluctant to follow.

"Where you going?" he yelled up. I frowned, and shot a poison filled glare at him, that made even Lulu cringe away in shock.

"You _saw _the sphere! You _heard_ what Jyscal said! Seymour's bad news, and Yuna's _alone with him_!" I yelled. Wakka refused to move, even still.

"But he's a Maester!" he stressed. I growled, and shoved the door to the Trials open, walking on, regardless of Wakka.

"Fine stay here if you want! But we're helping Yuna!" I shouted back at him. Lulu was following too, dragging Wakka along, angry he wouldn't cooperate.

"Wakka! Just move! We can at least hear him out," she tried to reason, shutting the door behind her. The temperature instantly dropped wildly, and we were in a corridor made completely of ice. Myself, Rikku and Kimahri began eagerly shoving sphere around from place to place, trying to open the door to the Chamber of the Fayth. Auron had caught Wakka by the arm, and was speaking coldly to him.

"We will protect Yuna from anyone," he said seriously. Wakka put his head in his hands, and sighed deeply, glancing around and plucking a sphere from it's recess. He handed it to me to shove into an awaiting hollow in the wall, before mumbling.

"This can't be happening."

Lulu was at his side then, one creamy pale hand on his dark tanned bicep, the other on his shoulder, comforting him. She nodded at Auron.

"If he is at fault, then he must be dealt with. There is no other option," she said simply, and Wakka looked like he was going to have a heart attack. The three of them stopped talking then, and began aiding me, Kimahri and Rikku in finding the right spheres and putting them in the right places. Rikku had slipped and fallen on her butt twice already, which ended up in her giggling madly, sending high chiming reverberations off the cold, snow blanketed walls and floors. This place was the total opposite of Ifrit's temple. Finally, we managed to get the door open, and we were lead into a huge room, with snowflakes lying everywhere, the ice hanging in long, thin points from the ceiling. Directly opposite us, gazing at the door that led into the Chamber of the Fayth, was none other than the man himself, Seymour Guado. He turned to us, smiling in that smooth, chilling way he had, and cocking a brow sarcastically.

"Seymour!" I screeched. His expression didn't switch at all, although something dangerous flashed in his icy blue eyes.

"Please be quiet. Lady Yuna is praying to the Fayth," he said quietly. I growled low in my throat, and hoisted Brotherhood from my side, anger the only emotion I could feel right now.

"Make me!" I yelled angrily, putting as much hatred into the words as I could possibly muster. Auron unsheathed his sword too, Lulu chanted her chilling phrase and part of her became one with her moogle doll, Wakka reluctantly tugged his Blitzball up and into his hands, pumping it full of Black Magic, Kimahri's great spear was taken from his back, and Rikku flicked her wrists expertly, the little metal daggers on her knuckles unsheathing themselves, and crouched low to the ground in her fighting stance, her Al Bhed bombs ready to be thrown easily from the palms of her hands.

Seymour smirked at us, and made his way elegantly down the steps leading to the grand, crystal like door, and watched us with eyes like a cat's. The doors behind him gave a shudder, and Yuna emerged, looking pale and pasty, but managing to stay upright. Her brows knotted in confusion as she watched the scene unfold before her eyes, and realised what we had done. Her hands snapped to her lips, and her eyes met mine over Seymour's head.

They were huge and sorrowful, and I mouthed a sorry in her direction. She tilted her head to one side, and nodded, shutting her eyes in despair. I saw Seymour going to move towards her, and called out.

"Yuna!" She shot a confused look at me.

"Tidus, why?" she breathed. I was watching her with as much emotion in my eyes as I could portray, like how I wanted to make her safe, how I despised Seymour, how I could help!

"We saw Jyscal's sphere!" Auron's face was stony next to my frantic one, his voice almost as icy as the room we stood in.

"You murdered him," he drawled sword never flinching. Seymour smiled, almost pleasantly.

"What of it?"

"You're a _pycdynt_ is what!" Rikku screeched, light hitting her sharp knuckles. If it hadn't been a life or death situation, I would have laughed. I didn't know a pretty girl like Rikku could swear as heavily as she could. She had taught me that word earlier on this week when Wakka wasn't looking.

Seymour ignored the Al Bhed, but his nostrils flared at her use of the language.

"Lady Yuna was aware of it, were you not?" he shot at her. Yuna blinked and averted her gaze, stuttering.

"I-I…"

"Well then," Seymour cut her off, smirking at her nervous little form. "Why have you come here?"

Yuna ran past him, and caught Kimahri in a tight hug, trying to make up her mind on what to reply. He pried her away, and gave her his Ronso smile, which made her giggle. She turned to Seymour, face confident.

"I came here… to… stop you!" she said forcefully, throwing me one of her dazzling Yuna smiles. My heart fluttered wildly in my chest, and the urge to reach out and hold her as close to me as I could get was almost over powering. But I gritted my teeth and smiled back, making pink stain the tops of her cheekbones. She stepped forth towards him, bravely.

"I see…" Seymour's cold voice came. "You have come to punish me then?" When she didn't respond, he turned towards us, and watched Yuna, with what I decided was supposed to be an innocent look in his eyes. He uncurled his long, gnarled claws, and reached them out to her. Yuna watched his hand for a moment, before leaping back away from him, and tripping over her own feet. She stumbled backwards, and I caught her around the waist, before gently shoving her back behind me. In that mere second that I held her so close as I had wished, both of our breaths hitched, and I felt her stiffen before melting backwards towards me. I wanted to hold onto her, to never let go, but I was more interested in her safety at the moment, rather than the burning feeling in my throat whenever I touched her for mere seconds.

"What a pity," Seymour said softly, his eyes glinting maliciously. We leapt into a tight, protective circle around Yuna then, myself and Auron at the front. Seymour nodded. "Of course. Protect the Summoner, even at the cost of one's life. The code of the Guardian. How admirable," his usually silky tones had raised, and he was speaking more forcefully now, as he leered at us. "Well, if you're offering your lives, I shall have to take them."

"Maester Seymour," Yuna spoke up, her voice strong and unafraid. I was instantly proud of her. "I trust my Guardian's with my life, but they are also my friends. I will _not_ stand by and watch them be hurt. I will fight you too!" she said, tugging out her staff, and whirling it around. I grinned.

"Alright! Let's kick some Guado ass!" I cheered, and Rikku let out a giggle.

"Maester Seymour!" Wakka yelled, rushing forth, a look of utter disbelief on his handsome face. Seymour's smooth smile had vanished, and was replaced by a sneer.

"So be it," he muttered.

We sprung into battle formation, and Seymour's two Guado servants stepped forth, both casting Protect on Maester Seymour. Yuna waved her staff expertly, casting Shell on us.

"You may be a Maester, but I will still fight you," she said fiercely. Seymour took a deep breath, as if inhaling her words, and his eyes flashed, as he curled his fingers as if indulging in Yuna.

"Your eyes… they burn with resolve… _beautiful_…" he growled, hungrily, his voice breathy. Just for that, I ran forth and swiped at his arm with my sword, cutting a deep slash wound across his bark like skin. That old pervert was getting what he deserved. How dare he look at Yuna like she was a piece of meat?!

"I knew you were bad news the second we met!" I spat at him. Seymour bowed sarcastically.

"Ooh, my sincerest apologies. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, little boy," he spat, casting Thunder on me. Luckily, Yuna's Shell spell stopped the worst effects of the spell from hitting me, but it sizzled all the same, making me feel ill. Rikku chucked me a small vial of purple liquid from behind, and I popped the cork, slugging it down in one go. I felt instantly revived.

Lulu cast Thundara, as Seymour cast the very same spell on Wakka, who spluttered wildly in confusion. I didn't waste any time with Kimahri, taking out the two bodyguards on either side of Seymour. They were crippled easily, and then Auron charged forth to deal a blow to the Guado, whose Shell protected him from Auron's swipe.

Rikku crept up, the true thief she was, and attempted to jab her knuckles into his side, but the Shell repelled her back. He was chanting then, and the final words of his incantation were:

"Feel my pain… come to me Anima!" Just as I had seen take place in Luca, a black portal formed above our heads, and jagged, rusty chains shot down, breaking through the tiles on the floor, and searching through Hell to bring forth Seymour's Dark Aeon, Anima. The chains dragged her up, screeching and cawing, her bloody tears leaking from her single glowing eye. The sack of a mask she wore was still tattered, and her emaciated hands clutched at herself, tearing the paper thin leather skin, more of her hot blood staining her own claws. I felt a pang of sorrow when I watched her, but had to shake it off to call out to Yuna, who was staring, transfixed at the distraught Aeon.

"Yuna, use Shiva! Your new Aeon!" I suggested, and Yuna nodded, stepping forth as Anima watched us all with her sorrowful eye. The chains wrapped around her body cut deep into her, and seemed to tighten as Seymour moved his hands, causing her to cry louder. She launched her attack Pain on Auron, who sucked in his breath and bit his lip down hard to not give into screaming wildly in agony. Kimahri ran forth and tried to weaken Anima, by cutting her already bruised and damaged skin with his spear. Yuna stepped forth and cured him, then breathed deeply.

"Oh Fayth… grant me strength," she asked softly.

She reached her arms to the sky, and I saw all the snowflakes in the room fly towards her, twirling themselves around her body in a great spiral of glistening ice crystals. They caught in her hair and on her eyelashes, and made her shine. She stuck her staff up straight in the air, and smiling lightly to herself, brought it down in one flail swoop, huge chunks of ice that I had only seen in one of Lulu's Blizzaga spells landing behind her, huge and magical. I squinted towards the blocks of ice, and swore I saw a woman frozen within their depths.

She seemed to be made from diamonds, but when she opened her eyes and blinked, she seemed real, before flicking her frozen wrist and sending the ice flying away from her. I gulped, at the sheer irrevocable beauty of her, and had to turn away. Shiva was nothing of this world, and as with the rest of the Aeons, her beauty made one want to tear their hair out.

She was far taller than even Kimahri, her skin a pale, shimmering blue, her hair full and thick, a deeper blue, decorated with brown bands holding it from her face, great golden rings attached to the ends. Little minute icicles hung from strands of her hair, and she was scantily clad in merely a pure white bikini, that was made of little individual strips of the same snow white fabric. Her eyelashes were even longer than Lulu's, pure white, and had glittering snow hanging on them, scattered throughout. Her eyes were like diamonds, clear and dazzling, and she tilted her head to one side, contemplating Anima. She turned to Yuna and smiled, bowing deeply, the look in her stunning eyes telling Yuna that the Dark Aeon would be no problem at all. I realised what Lulu had meant when she had said Summoner and Aeon were connected. I also noticed that Shiva was the very first girl Aeon Yuna had gained. Shiva stood up straight once more, and easily dodged the bolt of light that Anima had launched at her.

She placed her two first fingers, long, silver nails shining brightly, up to her chin in apparent thought, before spinning elegantly on her bare feet, a whirlwind of ice and snow building up around her in a similar spiral to Yuna's. She stopped spinning, and jerked her arms towards Anima fiercely, causing all of the built up ice pellets and chilling air she had gathered to fire themselves at the other Aeon, earning a screech of pain. Shiva smiled wryly, and I couldn't look away. I noticed the other Guardians were lost in Shiva's presence too, Rikku especially, who had never seen an Aeon before. Yuna hadn't really had time to Summon one on the short journey we had been on since we found her.

Shiva brought her hands up in a full circle around herself, leaving a trail of light in her wake, and when her hands reached the top and touched each other, a great ball of light shone from her fingers. She pushed her hands down in front of her and blew, not hard, just lightly, and sent a blizzard swirling wildly towards Anima, coating her chains in a cold, icy sheen, attacking her open wounds with the freezing air, the snow and ice mingling with her bruises and chapped skin. Shiva pulled her hands away, and watched as Anima stayed tall, squirming and screeching nonetheless from her previous attack. The blizzard had weakened her considerably, but still not enough to completely destroy her. Shiva's shoulder's slumped as she sighed, and turned to wink at Yuna. Yuna smiled, knowingly, and Shiva turned her attention back to Anima. She raised her right hand up, lazily, and snapped her fingers together in a defiant click.

The ground rumbled and shook wildly, and the ice that had become embedded in Anima exploded, sending turmoil throughout the Aeon, causing her to be powerless. All of that from one tiny snap of her fingers. Shiva smiled, a proper smile, bright and wild, dazzling us all with her beauty. Seymour dismissed Anima, the Aeon fading away, still screaming in pain. He watched Shiva with hungry eyes, who disregarded him completely.

"That power that defeated Anima will be mine!" he hissed. Shiva smirked, and turned to Yuna, who nodded. She then glided closer to Seymour, awing him. She flicked her wrist, and sent a shower of snow spiralling from nowhere at him. She flicked the other wrist and sent a fleet of icicles flying at him. Finally, she put her palm to her lips, and puckered them. She took her hand away from her mouth, and blew Seymour a kiss, causing a blizzard similar to the one she had cast upon Anima to drown him, and send him falling to his knees, defeated. Shiva smiled at Yuna, who nodded deeply in thanks, before dismissing her. The great goddess Aeon swept herself around and around, until she was embedded in her ice cocoon once more, and it shattered into a million pieces.

Seymour looked close to death.

Yuna rushed forth to Seymour, a worried look in her eyes. He smiled faintly.

"Yuna? You would… pity me now?" And with that, he collapsed back onto the floor, his heart no longer beating, life no longer living.

Seymour was dead.

Yuna collapsed beside his corpse, drawing her hand the length of his face, his eyes slipping shut at her guidance. The doors to the Chamber opened, and Tromell Guado, assisted by two other Guado rushed in, Tromell waving his huge hands in the air.

"Lord Seymour! W-What happened here?" he demanded, eyes huge. Wakka sighed, looking at his hands, disgusted.

"What have I done?" he breathed. Tromell gasped wildly.

"YOU did this?!" he screeched, incredulously. Auron walked away, indifferently.

"Yuna, Send him now," he muttered darkly, and Yuna stood to do as was required of her. Tromell shook his head, and shoved her harshly away from Seymour's body.

"No! No, stay away from the Maester, you traitors!" he bellowed. I rushed to Yuna's side, followed closely by Rikku. The two Guado heaved Seymour up, and put both his arms around their shoulders, so they could tug him away. I was so confused.

Seymour had been the one who murdered his father. Seymour was the one who had tried to marry Yuna for dastardly deeds. Seymour had been the one who had struck first at us! And suddenly we were the bad guys?! We were pretty much providing a public service by disposing of that scum! How dare the Guado call Yuna a traitor? She was… defending Yevon, if anything, not betraying it! Seymour had been using us, using everybody in Spira! He had to be stopped! If anybody asked, we could show them the sphere that Jyscal left us!

"Traitors…" Yuna fell to her knees, disbelieving what she had just been told. Her fingers splayed out across the pale, granite floor, and Kimahri watched over her, trying to tug her up. Wakka moaned, and threw his Blitzball down in anger, frustration.

"We're done for!" he yelled. I frowned, and walked forth.

"Now wait just one minute! Seymour's the bad guy, right? We'll just… explain to everyone what happened!"

"It won't be easy," Auron murmured. He turned to Yuna, and pulled her up. "Let's get out of here."

We had to go through the Cloister of Trials again, as the Guado had sealed it off, hoping to trap us within. Since I had done most of it the last time, I was instructed by Auron to stay near Yuna at all times. We walked through together, behind everyone, her eyes wide. She was still trying to digest the word 'traitor'. I sighed, and tried to make her feel better.

"You shouldn't listen to them, Yuna. You're not a bad person, you're not a traitor," I said softly. She shook her head sadly.

"But, Tidus… Maester Seymour is dead because of _my_ Aeon. I practically _murdered_ a man," she said sadly, not looking me in the eye. I frowned, and dug my hands into my pockets.

"Yuna, don't let anybody ever tell you you're a traitor. Or bad. I mean, Seymour murdered his father! Jyscal's dying wish was for his son to be stopped! You just went and did that. Don't be sad… I… When you're sad… I don't… like it," I finished awkwardly, a blush tinting my dark cheeks. Urrghh, again with the blushing? I sure was on a roll with Yuna. She made me all blushy, and unsure of what to say and stuff… it was pretty annoying. Yuna gazed up at me, the eyes Seymour had spoken of, soft and sparkling.

"Thank you… For reassuring me. And… for making me feel…nice," Yuna said shyly, playing with one of her kimono sleeves. She reached out lightly, and stroked my sleeve. I shivered. "When you're sad, I'm sad, too," she added, meeting my eyes.

"Tidus! Yuna! Come along!" Auron's sharp voice shot at us, and Yuna snapped her hand away and blushed wildly, stumbling along to find Auron. I followed, considerably happier than I had been moments ago. We came along the icy covered corridor, and reached the door that led out into the main temple. When we began to descend the steps, we realised that the Guado had friends. Angry looking friends, who were looking around for us so they could have our blood. If we could just show them that Jyscal sphere, everything would be resolved. They would see that we hadn't done anything wrong! See that Seymour was evil, and had to be stopped! Killing him had just been an added bonus!

"Give us a chance to explain," Auron said seriously. Tromell sneered at him, hatred clear on his weathered face.

"No need. I already know what I'll tell the other Maesters!" he yelled. Auron cocked a brow to one side.

"Meaning?"

"Lord Seymour was the Leader of the Guado before becoming a Maester!" he screeched, waving his over sized arms around frantically. I growled. So, the Guado were going to take matters into their own hands, was that it? Screw the Maesters, Seymour was ours, kind of thing? And now, we were going to pay for doing the right thing. I wouldn't let these monsters touch Yuna. She didn't do anything! None of us did. I stepped forth, scowling at Tromell.

"You're not letting us go." It was a statement, not a question, as I already knew our fates had been sealed. Tromell bared his green, wooden teeth, sneering at us.

"Let you go? Lord Seymour would never forgive us if we did!" he drawled, dangerously, his beetle black eyes glinting with the same maliciousness that Seymour's had before he'd taken his last breath. I wondered if it was in the Guado's nature to be devious and cunning. Rikku tugged her goggles from her eyes, and launched the force of her hypnotising eyes on the Guado. They cried out, and covered their own eyes, refusing to look at her. She continued to stare, knowing that just like me, their curiosity concerning her magical emerald eyes would convince them to look back, luring them into her trap.

"Wait! Jyscal's sphere! We can show it to them!" she insisted, balling her tiny hands into tiny fists. Tromell smirked evilly, and pulled the sphere we had watched previous to this whole mess out from his huge sleeve, and held it aloft for Rikku to see.

"You mean this?" he asked slyly, still not meeting her eyes for fear he couldn't look away. I reached forth, but it was too late. Tromell had crushed the sphere with his bare hands, sending hundreds of thousands glittering metal pieces to shatter to the floor. The sphere was ruined, and all our proof of Seymour's hidden motives were ruined along with it. Tromell leered at us, and his eyes were cold, emotionless. "Guado take care of Guado affairs." Kimahri tugged out his sphere.

"Away!" he yelled at us.

"Run!" Auron agreed, and rushed forth, slashing his way through any Guado that stood between us and the door. I snatched Yuna's hand in my own, not wasting time to marvel at the contact our skin was making, dragging her towards the door, making sure she kept up with us.

Once we were out the door, we sprinted as fast as we could past the temple, along the narrow walkway of snow and ice that lay below Lake Macalania, running for our very lives away from the Guado. We got to the steps, and threw Yuna up first, out of the underbelly of Lake Macalania, and out into the freezing cold air, that had seemed so pleasant before. We kept running, me pulling Yuna all the way, Rikku dropping bombs behind us in an attempt to foil the Guado. We sprinted, and kept running all the way down the icy slopes, and the places we had ridden on our machina, until we emerged out onto the top of Lake Macalania, where we had fought Rikku's brother earlier, and tried to get across the ice as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, the Guado had caught up with us, and somehow managed to tame a Wendigo, a huge arctic fiend that bared it's massive teeth at us upon sight, and leapt down, sending shudders across the frozen over lake. I knew if we didn't kill this thing soon, it's weight would cause the ice to give way, and we'd be catapulted back into the depths of the hollow Lake, back to Macalania Temple. Wakka had thought ahead to this, and launched a Sleep Attack with his Blitzball, causing the fiend to wobble slightly, and tumble into a sleep, still standing up. The Guado flanking it's sides roared, and cast Berserk on it, trying to wake it up, but Wakka's spell had done the trick invaluably. The thing stayed lost in sleep, slightly hunched over. Lulu smirked, and chanted the long verses of Firaga, hitting the fiend where it hurt in it's time of vulnerability. Auron ran forth and swiped once at the Guado on the right, killing it instantly, no blood dampening the snow beneath, as it merely crumbled into twigs and mossy patches, it's eyes rolling in it's head. I cast Haste on Lulu, speeding her up, so she could chant Firaga at double the pace, and cast it twice as often. It drained a lot of her magic though, so she reverted back to Fira and hit the fiend again. Kimahri dug his spear into the other Guado's chest, it's knees buckling and falling in a heap. Lulu cast Fira again, looking a little tired, so Yuna cast Cura on her, rejuvenating her rapidly deteriorating strength. I glanced up, to see that Wakka's Sleep Attack had worn off, and the fiend was standing up straight, ready to pounce. I grinned and glanced at Auron, who nodded his head. Time for an Overdrive. I took a deep breath, before leaping up into the air, as high as I could, using my Blitz skills, and drew all of my magic I had learnt into my sword. I breathed deeply, before swinging my arm heavily, and sending a shower of red and purple sparks fluttering down upon the fiend. Nothing appeared to happen at first, but then, the ground rumbled, and blew up around the fiend, spiking it's body with rocks and rubble. It didn't like that, and rushed forth, slamming it's fist into my body. I doubled over in shock and pain, but was relieved when Yuna cast a helpful dose of Curaga on me.

Lulu cast Fira once more, before the fiend let out an ear ripping roar, and slammed it's huge fists down on the ice, sending it cracking in all directions, tumbling, causing us to drop down into the depths of the lake. I fell into blackness, my head hitting something hard. The last thing I saw was the bottom of Lake Macalania…

* * *

When I awoke, I saw where we were. Beneath the Temple, not just the lake top. But below the actual body of water, lost. The only sound I could hear was the steady dripping of water, and… the beautiful Hymn of the Fayth. I let myself bask in the lulling tones of the Macalanian version, a woman's voice, high toned and holy. Lulu was speaking to me.

"We're under the lake ice, aren't we?" she mused, and I shrugged, glancing up above my head.

"… Maybe," I muttered. I didn't honestly care where we were, as long as we could get out again. As long as Yuna was safe. And okay. I frantically searched around, and saw her in Kimahri's arms, sleeping soundly, like a baby. He shook his great head in despair at what could have happened to her, and hugged her tightly to his chest, before settling her down on a rock that wasn't submerged by the paddling water.

"Look, there's the bottom of the temple," Lulu sighed angrily, and folded her arms. "We've fallen a long way." I moved away from Lulu, as I could see she was moving into one of her angry moods, in which she snapped crossly at anybody who dared _move_ incorrectly near her. I even saw her yell at Yuna once, but that was because she was _seriously_ pissed off at Wakka for using her moogle for target practice. I went to Auron, who was leaning against one of the huge ruins below the lake. I guessed this had once been a city or something, that was destroyed by Sin, and they'd just built the temple over it.

"What now, I wonder?" he pondered, his lazy eye drooping behind tinted glasses. I frowned.

"What now?! You act first and think later, don't you?" I snapped at him. "Can't you be a little more responsible? We're all depending on you, you know?" I actually thought he was going to start laughing at me. Instead he just smirked, and raised a brow.

"A _lecture_?" he dragged the word out. I couldn't help but snicker at him. "You should place trust in your friends. But you can't expect someone to protect you all the time," he said wisely, sniffing and licking his dry lips. "You would do well to remember that." I smirked.

"Is _that_ a lecture?" I asked cheekily, and earned myself a cuff across the ear, just like when I was a kid and I'd said something cheeky or talked back to Auron.

"It's advice," he told me, shutting his eye in a '-now- shut- up- and- leave- me- alone- I'm- thinking-' kind of gesture. I took the hint and moved on, vaguely taking in my surroundings.

Above our heads, just as Lulu had pointed out, was the floating giant that was Macalania Temple. Ice was separating us from it, and I glanced around at the ruins of the city, seeing similar things to the one that had been built atop the Moonflow. Colossal pillars shattered and laying broken in the ankle deep icy water that blanketed the icy sand. The colours that had been painted along the sides were faded and worn, but beautiful all the same, some sort of ancientness that I couldn't explain making them seem… magical. Wakka was standing away from the rest of us, looking at his Blitzball in disgrace, shaking his head in utter disbelief. He had no idea what he had just done, and refused to believe that he had aided in the destruction of a Maester. It would have been easier to believe had he accepted Seymour was evil in the first place. I wandered over to him, striking up a conversation out of pure curiosity. I was still pretty mad at him for being mean to Rikku.

"Hey… Wakka, would you cheer up? We only did what we had to do," I said, my voice falsely cheery. I groaned inwardly. Why was I so fake all of a sudden? Wakka clenched his fists and turned to me, his face livid.

"It doesn't matter! Don't you see? I've _always_ walked the path of Yevon. But now? I'm a _traitor_! How could this happen?!" He growled and turned to stare angrily at Rikku, his teeth gritting as he watched her with his baby blue eyes suddenly cold, and reminding me of Seymour. I didn't like that one bit. "Damn-"

"It's _not_ Rikku's fault either," I snapped, before he could add the '-the Al Bhed' to his sentence. He turned to look at me, and his jaw slacked, as he dropped his fist to his side, and his eyes slid shut wearily. He sighed deeply, and nodded his head, opening his eyes again. I could see Wakka in them this time, warm and summery. He shot an annoyed glance at me, signalling I should leave him to himself.

"You don't know how I feel," he muttered, turning away from me, and kicking a stone in the water. I sighed and walked away, not in the mood for any more of his uncharacteristic angst. I liked Wakka when he was happy, and cheering and… himself! This wasn't what Wakka was supposed to be like! All mopey and depressed over nothing. I walked away from him, over to Kimahri, who was watching Yuna with eyes as decisive as any cat I'd ever known, and it was in that moment, the instinct I saw in Kimahri's eyes, I remembered he wasn't a human. It was hard to recognise he wasn't, when he spoke our language, and ate like us, and slept like us- but that raw energy, so very like a cat's, emanating from his shiny yellow eyes made me realise. He glanced up at me, and his face melted back into normal Kimahri, tame and civilised.

"Yuna will wake soon. Kimahri knows this," he said simply. Rikku walked up to us, her usually giggling, or smiling face worried and considerably older looking. She wrung her hands together, and drew a mottled green and blue vial from the black strap on her leg, and popped the cork, throwing it to Kimahri. He shook his head, and pointed at Yuna. Rikku nodded.

"Yunie's okay, right? She's breathing and everything," she said quietly, watching her cousin with gentle, glowing green eyes. I had seen what she had been trying to do with them earlier. Trying to… hypnotise the Guado with them. "How're Lulu and Wakka?" I shrugged, and made a face.

"Meh… they've been better. Wakka's in shock. Can't really… blame him either, and Lulu? She's kind of just the same as always. A little ruffled," I told her. Rikku pouted and placed one hand on her hip, slanting her body to one side.

"She's so together," she mused, watching Lulu from where we were standing. The Black Mage had gone to Wakka, and was patting his arm, using soothing words to try and bring him back into a state of togetherness. "All grown up, I guess." I grinned as she smiled mysteriously.

"I guess," I replied. Rikku slid up to me, and counted on her fingers, eyes playful, and bright once more. She brushed a strand of golden hair from her face and her body was so close, I felt her heart beating.

"Well… just give me five or six more years," she said coyly, dimples fully viewable as she beamed. I nodded, and bit my lip, before asking her the question that had been bugging me since we starting our little chat.

"Hey Ku?" I asked, placing both my hands on her little shoulders. She tilted her head to one side like a puppy awaiting a treat. I smiled, and took a deep breath. "Back in the temple. With the Guado. I saw you… you were… when you took your goggles off and stared at them. Your eyes…" Her smile faltered, and became sheepish, slightly guilty.

"You saw that, huh?" I nodded as she pulled away from me, to sit on a ruin. She patted the clay beside her, and I settled down next to her, awaiting the truth behind her crazy eye trick that she did. She was blushing, I noticed, a tint of rosy pink, so very like Yuna's on her golden tanned cheekbones. "Well… It's a little trick we Al Bhed have. I guess you could say that that was how the Yevonites first decided that we were heathens, not to be trusted. We can… with our eyes, we can use them to convince people. Sway their judgement. It's not like hypnotism or anything, but when we really want something, our eyes just kind of sparkle, glitter… suck people in. The Yevonites decided we couldn't be trusted, because we were trying to brainwash them, or something stupid like that. When they killed the first of our kind, they did an autopsy on the body, and found that although we look like them on the outside, aside from the green eyes and all of us have blonde hair; on the inside, our anatomy is almost totally different. We're just like the Ronso and Guado when you think about it- except, we resemble them more on the outside. Then we started using machina, and they really went crazy. So, my ancestor, Tiku, was the first ruler of the Al Bhed, and led them all to safety. Throughout the years, my family have become leader after leader, saving the Al Bhed from the Yevonites who wanted us exterminated." She finished, smiling brightly at me.

"But…" she continued, as I was gazing at her in rapt fascination. "We're not technically sp'osed to use our little trick anymore, because that's just proving the Yevonites correct. If we do use it, it's more likely that they'll kill more of our people. So, I was kind of breaking my pop's law." She blushed again, but grinned like a naughty child. I smiled too, and then asked her something else I'd been mulling over before I fell asleep most nights too.

"Ku… Rin, you know the travel agency guy? I guess you would 'cause you're both Al Bhed?" Rikku nodded her head, and swung her legs. "Well, he called you princess. Are you a princess?" Rikku was all over her face blushing now, and reminded me more of Yuna in that instant that she ever had before. Her smile was small.

"Yeah… I guess I am their princess. My pops is the Leader, and I'm his daughter, so… they call me princess sometimes. It's annoying, seeing as I'm not even going to get to take over and rule," her brows furrowed at that, and she pouted her bubblegum lips in a huff.

"Why not?" I asked. Rikku would make a good leader it seemed to me. She grinned as she thought of it.

"You remember my idiot brother, right?" she asked me. Did I remember him? Hell yes, I did. Weird blonde Mohawk guy with the self drawn tattoos and boots. Yevon, did he need some fashion advice? I nodded my head, and Rikku giggled. "Yeah well, he's the oldest of my brothers so he gets to become the next Leader. And if by some miracle, pops lets him refuse, then my next oldest brother will get it, and then the next. And then, if by some cosmic, miraculous chance that neither of my three brothers want to become the Leader, and get away- then I will. But… my pops would want me to marry then, and I'm not interested in that kind of thing."

I grinned, and nudged her in the ribs.

"Really? Not even to that hunk you keep mentioning. Mr Guy-Who-Has-No-Name? Not even him, Ku?" I teased, and she shook her head, a small little smile on her face. Her eyes were dark with sadness.

"No. Not even him…" her voice was soft, and faraway, but I'd interrogated her enough today. I'd ask who this guy was tomorrow. I jumped off the ruin, and trudged back over to Kimahri, who was waiting for Yuna to spring up at any moment.

"So, Kimahri? How do we get out of here?" I asked him, curiously. Kimahri raised a great hand towards the sky, and pointed one of his elongated, thick fingers, the claw on the end reminding me of Seymour's filthy paws.

"We climb," he answered, a little gravely. That shouldn't be too difficult. Although, how Lulu was supposed to move in that heavy dress of hers might be a little complicated, but knowing her she'd probably think of something. And Auron was crippled in one arm. I'll bet his other one wasn't so strong that it could tug him up a wall on it's own. Rikku wandered to my side then, and Kimahri bared his teeth at her in a Ronso smile.

"Only those who try will become," he said wisely to her. Rikku frowned, and cocked a brow to one side.

"Huh?" I grinned at Kimahri, who had obviously been listening to our conversation, and was answering all of Rikku's questions with one simple phrase. She wanted to be like Lulu, she wanted to be Leader of the Al Bhed, she wanted to be a good Guardian to Yuna. But, from that conversation, Kimahri could tell she was close to giving up.

"I think he means you have to work hard, to achieve everything you want. To be like Lulu," I smiled. Rikku nodded her head, and drew herself up to her tallest height, which was still only my chest, stuck her chest out, trying to make herself as big as Lulu was in the bust department. I snickered inwardly, noting she'd have to grow _a lot _more if she wanted to fit into one of Lulu's dresses. She pulled the smile from her face, and replaced her expression with a stoic one. She pulled her bangs into one huge one so her hair shielded one eye from view, and pouted her lips to make them fuller. She fluttered her eyelashes, and half lidded her eyes. Kimahri shook his head.

"Kimahri think Rikku should stay Rikku." Rikku rolled her eyes and jumped up onto the platform Yuna was resting on, and got eye to eye with Kimahri for the first time in her life.

"Are you saying I'll never be like Lulu?! Kimahri!" she squealed. I laughed at the sheer hilarity of Rikku trying to square up to Kimahri, who was too smiling at her. Wakka stomped over, and started yelling at us.

"How can you laugh at a time like this?!" he demanded. Yuna stirred, just as he yelled, and rolled over. I dropped down, so I was balancing on the balls of my feet, watching Yuna with careful eyes. She groaned a little, and then her beautiful eyes fluttered open, so I was staring face on with her. She didn't blush, or cringe or anything. She smiled softly, her real Yuna smile, the one that made bubbles of euphoria burst beneath my surface, made me want to cry out in joy.

"Yuna?" I breathed.

"Tidus…" her voice was breathy and content, and then she remembered where we were, and she sat up straight, sighing. Lulu and Auron joined us silently in the circle around her, waiting patiently. She sighed, and rubbed her eye with the palm of her hand, running her hands through her chestnut locks of hair, catching her blue and green braid and playing with it absently. "I suppose you want me to explain why I didn't just tell you?"

I sat down on the edge of her makeshift bed, and Rikku settled herself down on my lap, playing with my Zanarkand Abes necklace. Wakka nodded, and folded his arms. Yuna took a deep breath, and began explaining.

"I wanted to confront Maester Seymour about his father. I wanted… to convince him to turn himself in, to Yevon's judgement. In exchange for marriage to him? Yes. If that's what it took to get him to do the right thing, I would have wed him… right there." Yuna's eyes flickered to my face, and I knew she regretted saying that. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and sighed, fiddling with the ring her father had given her on her littlest finger.

"So what did Seymour say?" I asked curiously. She shrugged and met my eyes again.

"He didn't… say anything. Now… Oh, now I don't even think it was worth it!" she said loudly, exasperation leaking into her voice as she went to stand up. The rock was slippery, so I took her hand and guided her up. She was silent, and just stared at me, thankfully, her unspoken apology seemingly being transmitted from her own head to mine. "I should have told you what I was going to do." Those words were spoken to me, heartfelt and sorry. Auron's rough voice interrupted us.

"Enough!" he snapped. "Dwelling in the past is futile." His words were nasty, and his tone wasn't much better, I scowled at him and me and Rikku stood up. She bounced forth and jabbed a finger in his chest.

"Hey! You don't have to say it like that, you big meanie!" she yelped. Auron looked unimpressed that she had called him a 'meanie', and she shrunk back into the safer circle of me and Yuna.

"You want to waste time listening to her regrets?" he growled. Rikku pouted.

"You _don't_ have to say it like that," she insisted. Auron ignored her.

"Our immediate concern is Yuna's pilgrimage. Are you willing to go on?" When he spoke to her, his voice was less sharp, but still unpleasant.

"Yes!" Yuna answered surely, not an ounce of uncertainty. That made my happy. Yuna was so strong, and she would go on no matter what. Forget the implications that she might face when she defeated Sin- she'd stay with us, and we'd protect her same as always. "But do you think Yevon will allow it?" she asked Auron cautiously.

"The Fayth are the ones who give power to the Summoners. Not the temples, or the teachings. If the temples try to stop us- then we will defy Yevon, if we must."

That shocked even me! Auron would just throw away all the teachings and beliefs in favour of going after Sin?! He'd destroy Maesters and temples and priests if they stood in our way? Rikku was gawking at him, and Lulu was wide eyed. Wakka sniffed, and his voice was cold as he folded his arms.

"Count me out." My eyes widened more at that. He was… going to leave us? Forget about Yuna, and her pilgrimage, and all we'd been through together? "We have to atone, to make up for the sins we have committed. Of course, it's not like I ever liked Maester Seymour, ya? Not like I'll forgive him for killing Lord Jyscal. And… for trying to do us all in too. You know? But still… the bunch of us going against Yevon?! No way!" he yelled the last two words in Auron's face, shaking his head and flailing his arms around. Lulu sighed.

"But still… we have regressed. We must face our punishment," she said calmly, shaking her head in sorrow. Yuna stepped forth.

"We must go to Bevelle," she said, gazing at Auron in question. "We must speak with Maester Mika, and explain what has happened. There is no other way, I think," she glanced at Lulu and Wakka. Wakka stuck a fist in the air.

"I agree." Lulu nodded her head and made a disgruntled sound.

"So it's decided," Auron stated. Yuna clasped her hands together, and looked at him carefully.

"Will you come with us?" she begged. Auron smile was wry and only touched one side of his mouth, but it was there.

"…I am the… troublemaker, after all," he joked quietly. I laughed.

"Yeah, that's right! You can always count on Auron to complicate things. Believe me," I grinned at Rikku and she giggled.

"Yeah! Kimahri roars, and Auron runs off!" We both burst into peals of laughter, joined by Yuna giggling softly. Auron looked huffy.

"I never asked you to follow," he said coldly.

"But that's what friends are for, right?" I cheered. Rikku giggled loudly and beamed at me.

"Yep!" she chimed, hopping around gleefully. Yuna stepped forth and smiled gratefully at me. She placed a hand on her heart.

"Thank you," she said softly, her voice heartfelt and smooth as always. I blushed, instantly nervous, and nodded my head, smiling at her as best I could. Then, she started blushing too, and bit her lip, and soon we were just standing there gazing at each other shyly, smiling awkwardly. It was still a moment I would cherish, however. Rikku let out a knowing giggle, and placed her hands on her hips.

"_F r i e n d s_, huh?" she dragged the word out, before puckering her lips and making smooching noises. Yuna blushed crimson then, and I'm pretty sure I was doing exactly the same thing. She laughed softly, nervously, and looked me in the eyes. I nodded, chuckling anxiously too. Wakka made a sound like an angry chocobo.

"How can you just act like nothing's wrong? Must got nerves of steel or somethin'."

"You're too edgy. Listen to the Hymn and calm down," Lulu urged Wakka, stroking his arm with a long nailed finger. I listened too, and heard the Hymn of the Fayth, strong and powerful.

"Is that coming from the temple?" I asked Yuna. She nodded, and blessed herself.

"Yes. It is Yevon's gift. It soothes the hearts of the faithful," she told me, smiling as she let herself bask in Shiva's version of the song. When Ifrit's temple played the sound, it had been far deeper, and more masculine, but now, Shiva's was light, and feminine, sweet.

I walked to Auron, and asked him if he liked the song.

"When I lived in Zanarkand. It reminded me of Spira."

"Say, how did you get to Zanarkand, anyway?" I gazed at him, and made the conclusion in my head. I guess he got to Zanarkand exactly the same way I had gotten to Spira. "Sin?" He nodded his head silently. "Uh huh. I thought so."

That proved it. Sin was the link between Zanarkand and Spira. Which means if we kill Sin? I'd never be able to go home. Maybe after it came back I'd be able to go home, but if it ever did come back, Yuna would probably expect me to be her Guardian again, right? So, I'd have no choice, because… she's Yuna. And… now that I think about it, Zanarkand doesn't have the same appeal to me that it did three months ago when I'd first come to Spira. Because, I couldn't see the stars there, whereas in Spira, the stars were out every night. And, there was no fresh air in Zanarkand, only pollution, and poverty. But in Spira, the grass danced in a fresh breeze, and although the people's lives were not ideal, they didn't solve their problems through drug dealing and alcoholism. And…Yuna, was here. Not there. And, I don't think I could bring myself to leave her if I tried.

Suddenly, Lulu was at my side, eyes lost.

"The singing stopped," she breathed worriedly. We felt a huge vibration, that rumbled throughout the ground, shaking the water, making some of the ruins crumble into further dismay.

"There's something here!" Wakka yelped, glancing over at Yuna, who was staring at the bottom of the lake in utter horror.

I looked slowly up, to see what she saw, the horrific creature, all talons and thick, bumpy, grey skin-

"_Sin_!" she yelled, clasping her hand to her chest in terror. My heart was beating a mile a minute, as I watched the great beast hover just above us, not moving or striking, just being there.

"The toxin! Look out!" Lulu yelled. Their faces were a lost in a sea of unending memories, waking in the water of ruined temples, being beaten by Al Bhed, Rikku smiling, Wakka cheering and throwing a Blitzball, Lulu being beautiful, Valefor soaring, Kimahri roaring, Yuna laughing, Yuna dancing, Seymour's claws, the Crusader's defeat, the Thunder Plains and Yuna's ruby red blood, Wakka on one knee before Lulu, Auron unsheathing his sword, Macalania spring…

It was then I knew- _Sin was definitely was my old man_. The first time I was finally, totally, completely able to believe Auron's statement.

…"_Sin is Jecht…"_

My father had been listening to the song too! The toxin engulfed me totally. What did he want this time, my dear old dad? A vision swam before my eyes, the upper levels of the Zanarkand canopy, lights buzzing everywhere I looked, Zanarkand there, right before my eyes.

_Are you homesick too?_

Now, I saw four Blitzballs, laid out on the deck of a ship, and had to sigh, wherever I was.

_That's… not your world anymore. You're Sin now._

Another vision. A little boy, crying on his own, watching the lights of Zanarkand from his luxurious home in the emergent.

_Hey… I'm older now. Got leg hair and everything._

Jecht was now standing before me, face dark, so I could only make out his clothes and strong muscles. He seemed sad. A sudden realisation swept over me. He didn't want to be Sin. He didn't want to cause so much pain, so much anger, so much darkness. He needed me to help him. He needed me to put an end to his suffering, to the suffering of those in Spira. I spoke to my father then, even if it was just a dream, for the first time in years, and I promised him the promise that would one day save us all.

_I know… you want this to end? I'll find a way. _

_I promise._

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**IT WASN'T MY FAULT!**

**Okay, that is the first part of my apology, kind of. You see, I had this chapter completed before I went on holiday during the summer with my friends. A reviewer of the story told me that I should get a beta, so I did. I sent the chapter off, and came back a week later expecting it to be there. No chapter. So I waited.**

**About a month passed, so I wrote to my new beta, and she explained that all of the people she beta'd for sent her very long documents all at the same time. So I let her off, and she promised to have the chapter to me in two days.**

**That was another month ago. So, I woke up this morning and decided, "Screw it! Those darling reviewers of mine must be tearing their hair out at the lack of Tidus/Yunie fluff I have produced over the past while!" I have been torn between writers block on this story as of late, and I have turned to the world of Final Fantasy VII indulging in Yuffentine stuff. I am a bad person, I know! **

**So, please forgive me, my most dedicated reviewers! And leave me a review, telling me what you think of this long overdue chapter! :)**

**THANK Y'ALL! **

**~ Mrs Hatsuharu Valentine (what I'm considering changing my pen-name to :D)****

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	18. Home

Song listened to most as I wrote this chapter: All-American Rejects - Gives You Hell. SO AWESOME! :)

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**Home.**

_**Tidus**_

When I awoke, my head was swimming, and I felt drugged with sleep. I was in a body of water of some sort. Jeez, that seemed to be how I was constantly waking up in new places- in the friggin' ocean. I splashed and spluttered and got to the surface, somehow, and began swimming around. I could see the shore real close to where I was, and it was sandy. My first thought was-

Oh shit.

I was in a desert! What the hell? Since when were there any deserts in Spira? Lulu had never mentioned a desert on Yuna's pilgrimage, and we had ticked off, and mapped out every single place on her map, with a fine tooth comb! Although… come to think about it, there was one island far from the mainland of Spira, that hadn't been explored as it was barren, a wasteland a-

Desert.

My second thought was-

Oh shit.

So, not only was I in a desert, but I was in a desert that hadn't been explored by man yet, which meant it was probably swarming with all kinds of dangerous, fiery fiends, and I was on my own, no Auron with his huge sword, no Lulu with her Black Magic, no Kimahri with his giant spear. Just my little old self, Brotherhood at my side, a tiny portion of White Magic, zilch on the Black Magic, and no potions whatsoever. I think you can guess what my third thought was. I groaned, and clambered out of the water, gazing around.

The sand was yellow, like the kind of sand that little kids draw with crayons on an A4 sheet of paper. It was fine and shiny, reminding me of Rikku's hair. The sky was a pale, cloudless blue, beautiful to look at, but deadly also, as I knew there wasn't going to be any rain for a long time. The sun was directly above, meaning it was around midday, and also meaning the desert was at its hottest. I was already working up a sweat. This place was even warmer that the Mi'ihen Highroad had been. And I'll bet it was twice as long, and vaster than Luca. I wondered if there was anything besides desert on this island, if by some wild chance, there was some form of civilization that the Yevonites didn't know about. Some people that had maybe moved away from the crowd, bored by their pressured lives.

As I was just thinking this, a tremendous roar shook me, and I tugged Brotherhood from my side in one gracious swoop, spinning around on the tips of my toes, searching frantically for the fiend that had roared so ferociously. I gulped. It sounded hungry.

I paled, as the fiend swooped down near me. I thought it was a Zu at first, huge and flapping, with that gross tongue that hung out of it's mouth, and the eyes on either side of it's head- but it had feathers on the ends of it's wings, and was darker in colour than a Zu. It was frothing at the mouth.

"Eww!" I moaned, sounding like some pathetic teenager who'd just popped a nasty zit. I sighed, as it came closer, licking it's lips, obviously starving. This was the first time I had fought a fiend single handedly since the Thunder Plains and Yuna, but all the same, that had been one tiny lizard. Sure, it had seem terrifying at the time, but compared to this thing , that fiend was a kitty. I remembered what Auron had said once, about delaying the fiend as much as I could if ever on my own, so perhaps one of them would see me and help.

I launched into my Delay Buster, rushing forth and slamming my sword into the fiend's side, White Magic flooding through the sword and causing the fiend's actions to be delayed a lot. I then cast Haste on myself, but it wasn't enough- the fiend flew forth, and rammed one of it's heavy claws into my shoulder, sending a shooting pain down my entire arm. I was crouched on the ground, getting ready to die, when I heard the most wonderful voice of all time.

"Need some help?" Auron croaked. He threw me a vial of purply liquid, labelled, 'Hi-Potion' and I slugged it down, feeling it rejuvenate me, and the pain ceased to exist. I grinned and ran forth, swiping my sword along the fiend's belly, a jagged gash appearing on it's underside. Auron ran forth then too, and used Armour Break on the fiend to weaken it's defensive system. It cawed in a pissed off kind of way, but Auron just smirked and jumped back beside me. I took my own turn then, and ran up to swipe the fiend again. It settled to the ground so it could snap it's teeth at us, and I knew if this thing bit either of us, we were screwed. Royally screwed. Then, as if it was a blessing from Yevon himself (if I believed in that sort of stuff) the fiend was suddenly shocked with a heavy Thundara spell, causing it to shudder and be electrocuted with the powerful spell. The caster stepped forth into my line of sight, Lulu, looking regal in her heavy black dress, and uninterested in the fiend. She flashed a quick, rare Lulu smile at me, in which I saw true happiness, and not smugness or cockiness.

"Are you alright?" she asked me, her voice worried. I nodded, and called for her to look out as the fiend swung it's neck at her. She side stepped the attack easily, swinging her hands around and muttering, already ready for another attack on the fiend. I got underneath it, and hit it where my other jab was, causing it to bleed further, and screech even more. Lulu yelled the last few words of her spell, which I recognised as Fira, as the fiery tongues licked the fiend's head, burning away at it's flesh. Auron ran towards the fiend, and slashed at it one last time, and it gave up. It's great, leathery body collapsed, it's eyes lolling creepily, it's tongue falling out of it's mouth and rolling along the sand, before it dissolved into a hundred pyreflies, doing their magical dance through the sky to Send the dead fiend to the Farplane.

Lulu and Auron walked towards me as I caught my breath, the lines on Auron's face deeper, Lulu's handsome face worried. I gasped, sheathing my sword.

"The others?" I asked, breathlessly. Lulu sighed, shaking her head. Once again, it looked like she was impervious to the heat.

"I haven't found them yet," she told me, looking around the vast sand dunes, the great sandy rocks and the cactuses. "We're supposed to stay in one place if we get spilt up." I chuckled nervously, and pointed, as Auron was already trudging away over a sand dune, pulling the sleeve of his useless arm down and providing more ventilation. I shrugged and made to follow.

"Wait here if you want- he's not," I said, and began to follow Auron eagerly. Lulu nodded, and walked with us too, lifting up her many skirts, tucking her moogle into her garter for safe-keeping. We got over the dune and I cupped my hands around my mouth, and yelled as loud as my overheating lungs would allow.

"WAKKA!!!" There was a groggy sort of noise from a bunch of wooden mess to our left, so we followed it, and came across one bright red flick of hair. Unmistakably Wakka. I walked over to him first helping him up from the ground. Lulu came next, and he placed both his arms around her waist, holding her tightly against him. He kissed her head tenderly, before releasing her, and nodding at Auron.

"You okay?" I inquired, as Lulu let out a sigh of relief. He nodded his head, and looked around, behind us. His eyes widened.

"Where's Yuna?!" he asked frantically.

Damn! I'd only just realised! Where was Yuna? Was she alright? Did she get hurt by a rogue fiend, or a machina or something even worse? Had the Guado found her?! My blood rushed through my veins, and I only had one objective right now. Find Yuna, and make sure she was okay. We all glanced at each other and Wakka kicked at the sand, punching one pillar of wood that was still standing. "Dammit! First I lose Yuna, then I get ambushed by machina! Great day I'm having," he growled. Lulu pulled him along by the hand then, as Auron was already walking away, down into a darker part of the desert, which was so because it was shadowed by a great mountain of sand. I was first to spot the great, blue figure trying helplessly to scramble up the sandy banks.

I ran to him, and when he saw me, he sighed and watched me worriedly.

"Yuna gone," he moaned. I shook my head, feeling my heart pang out in pain. I needed her to be here. Where _was _she?

"Hey, it's not your fault, Kimahri," I murmured, laying a hand on his huge bicep. He surveyed me, his sharp yellow eyes sorrowful as he thought of the one he had so sought after to protect. He walked past me then, ignoring Auron, Lulu and Wakka, and began to walk in a very sure direction. I decided to follow him since he was Kimahri, and he generally knew what he was doing.

The desert was vast, and yellow and all I could see for miles on end was sand, the occasional rock and a cactus. Sometimes, if I kicked at the sand hard enough, the leg of a crumpled machina was exposed, laying dead there for maybe hundreds of years without being found. I wondered- if we did find Yuna, how the hell were we supposed to get out of this place alive? We had no idea where we were. How were we supposed to leave?

After quite a bit of walking, we saw a huge, old, ragged tent, that had fallen over on one side, and sitting in front of the tent, sprawled out on the sand like she was home sweet home was- Rikku. She jumped up and poised herself to fight when she heard our footsteps, but upon seeing us, she dropped her sharp knuckles and bombs and smiled brightly, waving cheerily.

"Oh! Hey guys!" she chirped, like a melody bird in spring time. She counted us, and then stuck her tongue out of her mouth, doing the math. Her brows furrowed. "Where's Yunie?"

"Gone," I answered hopelessly. Lulu sighed and shook her head, her voice filled with self loathing.

"Gone. Some Guardian I am."

I glanced back to Rikku, who was resting her hands on her hips and watching us all carefully. She seemed to blend in with the sand, like she'd been designed to live out here. Gross. Her eyes lingered on Wakka for a moment, and they narrowed as she pondered something in her head. Finally, she gave a sharp nod and walked closer to us.

"Okay, you guys? There's something I have to tell you, but you have to _promise_ not to say a _thing_," she stressed. Wakka glared at her disgusted she would even speak to him. Rikku scowled and jabbed a little finger in his chest. "No glaring either, tubby! I… sort of know where we are. We're on Bikanel Island. There's a place near here that we Al Bhed call Home. Yunie's there, I'm sure of it!" She sounded like she knew what she was doing.

So that's why Rikku looked so homey here! Because… this was her home. This is the place where her ancestors had brought the Al Bhed, safe from the abuse and torture of the Yevonites. This is why the Yevonites couldn't find the Al Bhed to exterminate them all- because nobody bothered their lazy asses to get up and search Bikanel. I was glad- if Yuna was with the Al Bhed, I didn't care what Wakka thought- I was going there, and I was going to find Yuna, and save her, and help her continue her pilgrimage. Rikku was talking again.

"Other Al Bhed must have come and rescued her! They wouldn't hurt Yunie…"

Oh yeah… because if Rikku was their sort of princess, and her dad was Yuna's uncle, then that practically made Yuna Al Bhed royalty. If there was such a thing. I was relieved all over again. She was safe and well, and the Al Bhed were taking good care of her.

"Rescue?! You mean kidnap!" Wakka yelled angrily at Rikku, who rolled her eyes heavily, and folded her arms, cocking her hip out to one side. She seemed to shine in the heavy sunlight, all golden brown tan, and shiny blonde hair.

"As long as she's safe, who cares?" I snapped at him. Rikku nodded, smiling at me in thanks.

"Exactly! Now… I'll take you to Home. As long as you all _promise_ not to tell a single other _living soul _about it! _Especially_, _not Yevonites_," she glowered at Wakka when she said the last part. "You know they don't like us Al Bhed. Who knows what they'll do this time." Wakka ignored her.

"Gimme a break! What are you accusing Yevon of this time?" he snarled at her. Rikku's eyes suddenly began to gleam with tears, and she bit her lip down hard, clutching her hands around herself.

"Yevon… Yevon did something really bad to us before!" she insisted, her voice wavering on cracking completely. Wakka didn't take the hint that this was obviously something that made her really sad.

"Whatever it was, you Al Bhed must have deserved it!" he roared. A tear slipped over Rikku's cheek, and rolled down her face until it dropped from her chin, and fell to the sand, the only sliver of water in this desert for miles.

" But they murdered my mom," she whispered. We were silent.

That had been unexpected. Wakka was gaping at her, no snarling comeback ready for this bombshell. Auron was shaking his head in a disgusted manner, and Kimahri looked like he wanted to go and hug Rikku. Lulu sighed deeply and watched her with sorrowful ruby red eyes, and I realised what Yuna had said in the Thunder Plains had been true.

"_It's not my story to tell… I'm sure if you ask Rikku…"_

Her mother had been murdered by Yevonites. Rikku was holding back the tears now, as she rounded on Wakka, more furious than I had ever seen her.

"I was _three_ years old! We had a Home that wasn't this one, before we had to escape. That's right, _escape_! Because the Yevonites attacked us, killing men, women and children on _sight_! My father got me and my brothers into the airship, ready to leave with what little survivors we had left. We already received news that my grandpa had been _slashed_ to death by a Crusader. So, my father was officially the new Leader, no time for _ceremonies or crowns_. He just did what he had to do, and saved us all! But my mom… she _refused to let any _of the surviving children die, and she jumped off the airship, to help my father save them, even after he'd told her to _stay on the ship_! There was so much _blood_… so much _carnage_, the _heat_ in the Yevonite's eyes _burning _as they _destroyed_ our Home, and our people. I watched that Crusader, as he caught my mother by her robe, and threw her on the ground, _laughing _as he went. She screamed, and that only _encouraged_ him! He made sure the child she had been saving died first, so she could watch him _writhe and scream_. And then he _leered _at her, and my father called out, and she turned to look at me- I saw the light leave her eyes. I saw them fade away, as that _suhcdan _shoved his blade through her heart! She crumpled, and my father ran to me, and I was crying, screeching for her. _So many of us _lost their lives that day. And I was scarred. I'll _never _forget the look in that Yevonite's eyes, as my mother _vanished_."

Rikku was hysterical now, her voice having gotten higher and higher throughout her speech, tears coming thick and fast, her face red and her breath coming in sharp rasps. I ran forth and caught her in a fierce hug, and she clutched onto me, crying into my shoulder, as the memory she had tucked away haunted her once more. I rocked her back and forth, smoothing her hair, and calming her down. No one spoke, and Lulu came to me too, and held Rikku in her arms, like a mother, pressing a kiss to her head and almost crying herself at the story. Wakka just stared at her, in shock, disbelief. Once Rikku had regained enough strength to tug away from Lulu, she wiped her nose on her arm and stuck her chin in the air.

"Just promise me you won't tell anybody about this place, okay?" she begged, pleaded. Wakka nodded.

"Alright. Yeah, I promise. Lead the way," he said emotionlessly. Rikku nodded and turned, her eyes swollen and puffy, her steps less springy than they usually were.

Rikku knew her way to Home like the back of her hand, and although it was quite a long walk, I managed. There were a couple of tricky fiends along here too, but the Al Bhed had strategically placed chests with First Aid Kits to try and aid any of the Al Bhed who might be trying to find their way to Home and couldn't fight very well. They did come in handy, as I got bitten by a gigantic plant and Lulu was hit with Confusion by a fiend with teeth longer than my arm.

We didn't really talk much on our walk. I walked at the front, and held Rikku's hand like the big brother I kind of was to her, and she laid her little head on my shoulder. Lulu spoke to Wakka quietly and carefully, and Auron powered the sand with Kimahri at his side. It was unbearably hot, but after the Mi'ihen Highroad, I was kind of ready for any kind of intense heat, so I simply removed my arm guard and my jacket and carried on. I also realised why Rikku was so scantily clad. I would be too if I lived in the desert for most of my life.

When we reached Home- well, I had been expecting little huts and maybe like, a garage for all the tinkering with machina they do. But the Home that lay before us, was more like the Home Rikku had described in the story of her mother's death. It was chaos.

Home was more made of metal that it was stone like I'd guessed, and there was a great tower in the centre of it- however, it was being swarmed by fiends. Great, gigantic flying ones circled the air, lupus fiends prowled the sandy ground, and lizards rampaged throughout the main market place. It was horrible. They were attacking Al Bhed left right and centre, who were trying desperately to fight them all off with their machina. The fiends were having none of it, and destroying the machina with a few snaps of their very capable jaws. Rikku screamed in terror, and ran as fast as she could towards her Home, all of us close on her heels. If Yuna was somewhere in there… I dreaded to think what had happened. We needed to get in and find her and get out! I ran at Rikku's side then, a sudden burst of energy coming to me as I thought of Yuna. Yuna trapped within the Al Bhed Home, struggling to stay alive with only her Aeons.

But… she had trouble Summoning in hot climates. I gulped, and me and Rikku skidded to a halt first at the base of the great sand dune that sheltered Home. The others were right behind us.

We ran into the thick of it, slashing at a few fiends here and there, helping the Al Bhed as best we could. Wakka didn't care about them, and he stopped just in front of a great, machina building that had collapsed and was on fire, the flames roaring wildly.

"Where's Yuna?!" he demanded. An Al Bhed was stabbed in the chest by a fiend's pincers right next to him, and Rikku squeaked in despair, running forth to the now buckled over Al Bhed.

"Keyakku!" she cried, falling to her knees beside his dying frame. Her green eyes were sparkling with tears again, and I understood what she meant when she said that when an Al Bhed died, it seemed like the lights in their eyes went out. This guy's was fading fast, like someone had flicked a dimmer switch and his marvellous emerald gems were fading.

"_Fru? Fru'c yddylgehk ic? Fru tet drec du oui_?" she begged, clutching his hand. The man smiled at her as best he could, wincing in pain.

"Rikku… Yevon… Guado…" he coughed, and spluttered, and his eyes went dark, no longer sparkling green, but dull and dead moss. Rikku burst into tears again.

"Keyakku? Keyakku!" she screamed, and buried her head in his bloody shirt, clutching at his chest in pain. I pried her away from the man's corpse, holding her close. Lulu raised her eyebrows.

"A war?" she asked no one in particular. "Between Yevon and the Al Bhed?"

"_Dryd ec fnuhk_!" an old voice called, like nails screeching down a blackboard, like the crunch of gravel beneath a chocobo's feet. "Guado _ku vun dra Cissuhan_." Rikku gasped, and ran to the speaker. I saw him for the first time.

He was tall, extremely muscular, and bald, with a strange orange tattoo on the right side of his head. His eyes were exactly the same as Rikku's shining emerald and bright. His jumpsuit was yellow and burly, and had blue zippers running all across it. His boots were thick, worn and a dusty brown, and his face was wrinkled from smiling, but he had deep frown lines too. He was frowning right now, as Rikku hugged him tight, and pointed at the Al Bhed man who had just died.

"_Vydran_…" she breathed. The man nodded and went to the dead guy, smoothing back golden locks of blonde hair. He stood and sighed, and his eyes were deeply sorrowful. He glanced at us, his eyes now harsh and making my knees wobble slightly.

"You Rikku's friends?" he snapped impatiently. "Well, don't just stand there, c'mon! Let's go get those Guado outta our Home!" he yelled, and I saw his thick goggles around his neck, just like Rikku's. She nodded surely, and looked at us all pleadingly, begging us silently to help her. The guys ran off after the man, and I took Rikku's hand, my eyes questioning.

"Who-"

"Cid. Leader of the Al Bhed. He's my dad," she told me, voice sad as she stared at the lost friend lying on the ground before her. She turned to me, eyes wide and serious. She clasped my hand. "We have to save Yunie," she said, voice weaker than normal. I nodded surely, and she didn't let go of my hand, clutching it tightly and dragging me through the crowds of Al Bhed and fiends, trying not to pay attention to the devastation that was taking place all around us. She tugged me through a heavy, rusted, machina door where Cid and the others had already passed through. Flames burned on either side of it, startling me, as Rikku ignored them, dragging me into the darkness. Inside, we ran down a long platform, the others powering on ahead of us. Discarded machina lay everywhere and the place looked like it had been built from separate scraps of metal all welded hastily together. We got to the end, where a circular platform stood, a strange marking on it that looked kind of like a smiley face that was winking and sticking it's tongue out at us. I would have laughed if this hadn't been a life or death situation. Wakka was distraught.

"Yuna?! Yuna, where are you?" he called desperately. I pulled my sword out, as a Guado appeared from nowhere and slashed at me with it's claws. I ran my sword straight through the centre of it, cutting it in two. Another jumped at Lulu, who cast a hasty Fire spell on it, the smell of burning wood wafting to my nostrils as it's flesh burnt.

"Let's find Yuna, quick!" I called to them, and they all nodded. Wakka looked so confused, and angry at the same time.

"What in Yevon's name are those Guado thinking?" he asked himself, shaking his head in disbelief. Rikku shrugged, and her eyes rolled over all the destruction to her Home.

"This is terrible," she choked, before giving herself a vigorous shake, and motioning for us to follow her through another door. This hallway we charged down had flashing red lights, signalling danger, and I heard Cid's angry voice over an intercom stationed in the top right hand corner of the corridor. He was screeching things in Al Bhed. I could kind of make it out. I'd been doing a lot of practice with Rikku. "_Drec pedac_!" he roared over the sound of scraping machina, shouting Al Bhed, snapping fiends and revengeful Guado. …He said that this bites. I agree. He was yelling again. "Rikku! _Oui nayt sa_? _Oui ku ihtan duu! E's majamehk Rusa_!" He said… You… go… under… too. I'm… _something_… Home… "_Yht dra veahtc fedr ed_!" Rikku slapped a fist to her head.

"Oh no!"

"What he say?!" Wakka demanded, slamming a fist into his cupped hand. Rikku moved along the tunnel backwards, watching us all and moving swiftly.

"We have to get underground!" she yelled. Auron shoved his way forth and his grip tightened on the hilt of his sword.

"Rikku, where's Yuna?!" he roared. Rikku pointed to a set of steps that led down to another door, and skipped down them as fast as her little legs would go.

"The Summoner's Sanctum! This way!" She skidded to a halt before the door, and tugged at it with all her might. She wasn't very strong, and someone had tried to weld it shut in a hurry. Kimahri walked forth and helped to move it, and we were all sweaty and exhausted by the time it finally budged. On the front of the door in Al Bhed, something was written, and although I could speak it a little, the words and writing was still an utter mystery to me. I squinted at it in confusion, but then realised we had to get Yuna and get to hell outta here. Yuna was my main priority. She would be safe!

We got through and ran down another few hallways, Home seeming more like a labyrinth that somewhere people lived. We got through two more of the half welded doors. I guess the Al Bhed had tried to save the Summoners from the fiends by welding the doors closed. We came onto a platform, rusty metal railings bordering it, and seeming to be more of a hazard than a heath precaution. Wakka folded his arms, and surveyed the fiery metal. His voice was quiet.

"This place… done for." Rikku dropped her head in shame.

"You're right. You're right, Wakka," her voice was quiet, not bubbling, glittering as it usually was- it was soft, serious, and in that moment, she reminded me of Yuna so much it hurt. I needed to find her! Where was this stupid Summoner's Sanctum anyways? "We Al Bhed, we… we weren't always like this. Back in the very beginning, Sin destroyed our island which we called First Home. After that, we were scattered, to every corner of Spira. But then… my great, great, great grandpa put us all back together again. And… if we set our minds to it, we could make a new Home. Everyone worked hard. We had our Home back again. But now…? Why did things have to turn out this way?" I glanced at her face, and a tear ran down her cheek again, making her eyes sparkle and dance. Wakka's face was lined with sorrow for the girl, and he opened his arms.

"Rikku…"

She launched herself forth and buried her head in his chest, her tiny fists pounding at it in despair. "Damn those Guado… what are they thinking?!" I hated to break up this magical moment of friendship again, but Yuna was waiting, and if we didn't keep moving, then we were all going to get smooshed when Cid made to destroy all the fiends. So, we hurried on, hitting the Guado down when they tried to stop us, leaping over the bodies of Al Bhed, fiends and Guado alike. We reached a crumbling set of old, rusted out stairs and Rikku reached over the side, taking deep breaths. Kimahri stopped dead just beyond her. Lulu spoke.

"Rikku, what is the Summoner's Sanctum?" she asked gently. Rikku's smile was small and rueful as she explained. She gave a great sigh, before standing up straight, not looking at any of us.

"The Summoner's Sanctum is where we keep the Summoners. We keep them safe there," she said quietly, sadly. Wakka frowned.

"You kidnapped them," he stated disappointedly. Rikku nodded and turned to Wakka. She looked worse than I had ever seen, her usually rosy cheeks flushed, and her tan pale. Her hair was messy, and she had grease smeared all over her clothes from fighting her way through old machina, and blood from her dead friend across her right cheek. Her eyes were dark with pain and suffering, and her usually upright, proud form was slouched, and depressed. She looked bad.

"I know it's against the teachings and all…"

"No, I get why you did it," Wakka answered back, nodding his head. "But-"

This didn't make sense to me at all. I tried to make sense of it in my head. The Summoners went on their pilgrimages. Sure, it was dangerous sometimes, and the fiends where pretty vicious and it was a long way to Zanarkand from anywhere. But… the Al Bhed had to kidnap them? They had Guardians to keep them safe. That was their job, that's what they did as a full time occupation. The Al Bhed had no right to intervene and get in the way of their pilgrimages for no apparent reason. Why kidnap them? Just let them get on with what they're supposed to do. It would help the Al Bhed too, if Sin was defeated right? I mean, Sin hurt everybody. I cut across Wakka, walking down the steps towards Rikku, wearing my confusion bright on my face.

"Well, I sure don't get it, Wakka. Sure, the Summoners might get hurt on their journey, but do you really have to kidnap them?" I asked Rikku. "I mean, if the Summoners don't do their job, then who will beat Sin? You wanna protect them, I know- but Guardians are there for that. If Guardians do their jobs well, Summoners will be safe."

Rikku threw the single most disgusted look I have ever seen in my life at Lulu, a twisted smirk across her pretty features, making her face distorted and angry. It was an 'I-told-you-so' look, and she shook her head in utter repulsion. I glanced at Wakka. Something was wrong. Why was no one answering me? Why was nobody saying, "Yeah, Tidus, Guardians protect Summoners, they defeat Sin, they go home and party and live happily ever after!" But… Yuna's dad. He was dead. How did he die again? … I never asked. All this time of hearing stories about Lord Braska, and I'd never thought to inquire exactly how he had come to die. No one was meeting my eyes, not even Kimahri, they were all averting their gazes, and making me feel even worse. What was wrong?! Guardians protected Summoners! We did, I'd seen it! Barthello, he protected Dona! Pacce, he protected Issaru! I protected Yuna! With my life. Why was nobody SPEAKING?!

I looked at Wakka, eyes burning.

"Right?!" I snapped. His face was stony, cold, and he turned to meet my eyes, his own hollow pits of sorrow. His jaw clenched. I switched my gaze to Lulu, and she looked like she was going to cry, when she eventually met my eyes. She looked away hurriedly. Auron was staring at the ground, and when he looked into my eyes, I knew they'd forgotten to tell me something about Summoners, pilgrimages, Spira. I growled, and threw a poison filled glare at Rikku and Kimahri. "RIGHT?!" I screeched. Rikku looked at the ground, not meeting my face once, clenching her fists in anger. Kimahri's yellow eyes were soft and sad, and he dropped his spear arm, looking more like a kitty cat than I'd ever seen.

It was suddenly silent, the tension thicker than a Flan Azure. Awkward. Dangerous. Kimahri stepped forth, not looking at me, not anyone.

"It is quiet. Kimahri goes now." He turned and walked away, and I could hear it. I could hear the song. Not the Hymn of the Fayth, but the one that reminded me most of Zanarkand. It had been played at my mother's funeral. I had cried. And cried for so long. The song played in my head, a heartbroken lullaby, reminding me of the journey we were making To Zanarkand. Time seemed to slow around me. I could feel the pain ebbing in the back of my throat. I couldn't speak, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move. All I could do was move my eyes to gaze at Rikku. Wakka was following Kimahri, not looking back. Lulu and Auron were going too, but Rikku was standing staring at me, her eyes glistening with crystalline tears. Her teeth clenched. I could feel tears sting my eyes.

What was going to happen to Yuna?

The song was still playing, soft notes dancing through my brain, reflecting my emotions back at me. Then, Rikku turned and ran down the stairs.

"Yuna, please be here!" she called, as we made out way into the Summoner's Sanctum. My head was pounding. I needed to know the truth. I needed to know the truth. I needed-

Yuna wasn't there. I knew it the second we stepped into the room. If Yuna had been there, I would have felt her presence. She would have smiled, and rushed to me straight away. My heart would pound excitedly in my chest, and maybe, just maybe I would give her a small squeeze of a hug, to show her how much she meant to me. But I wouldn't have been able to do that now anyway. I knew too much, and too little all at the one time. It was confusing and painful, and I needed to know what would happen to her. The truth.

"Yuna!" Kimahri called. Instead of Yuna coming forth, my least favourite person to see right then and there did. Dona, hand on hip, eyes dark.

"She's not here," she said plainly. "Hello again. Wait there until we have performed the Sending," she implored. I glanced around and noticed the bodies of the Al Bhed who had fought to save the Summoners. Issaru was there then, beside Dona, depression on his handsome face.

"They… died. Protecting us. It's not much, but the least we can do is give them a proper Sending," he breathed, before he and Dona stepped away from us, and began to perform the macabre dance that I dreaded so much when Yuna performed it. Pacce, the little Guardian of Issaru ran up to me, his face confused, a finger in his mouth.

"Hey, uh, sir? What's sacrificed?" he asked me quietly. "The Al Bhed said Summoners were being… sacrificed. That Summoners shouldn't have to do a pilgrimage." The little boy's words terrified me, and I gazed down at him, wondering too. My breath caught in my throat, and it hurt trying to speak, but somehow, I managed. The song was still chilling and wonderful as I spoke.

"Why couldn't they trust Guardians to protect the Summoners? The… Al Bhed had no right to stop their pilgrimages!" my voice rose as I spoke, my cracked whisper becoming a heated cry.

"The pilgrimages have to stop!"

It was Rikku's chiming voice, serious and high, as if she was trying to hold back hysteria. All of the rest of Yuna's Guardians snapped their heads round with warning stares at Rikku, who ignored them and came forth towards me. "They might defeat Sin- Yunie could… but then she…" Rikku clenched her fists, and gritted her teeth hard, building up the energy to tell me the truth. What was happening to Yuna?! She rushed forth, the tears spilling down her face, looking like a mad woman. She bit her lip and then cried out, as if she was in pain. She looked me straight in the eye. I held my breath.

"…Yunie will _die_, you know!"

I didn't understand her at first. Did Rikku just say that Yuna will die? I tried to tell myself no, that would never happen, no way would that happen, told myself that I had heard her wrong, that this wasn't true, Yuna wouldn't have to… But a voice was screaming at me in my head, through the song, through it all, and my heart fell like a heavy weight to my feet. The world stopped spinning, the rivers and lakes stopped churning, time just ceased to be a real thing. All that I could see, feel, touch- was nothingness.

The fact dawned on me. Hit me like a cold, hard wall of ice, of stone.

I guess I'd known it all along.

If Yuna… If Yuna completed her pilgrimage.

She was going to…

Die.

Rikku was talking again, but I could barely hear her. I was still grasping the fact, my heart was thundering and it felt like a weight was being pressed against my chest.

"You know don't you? A Summoner's journey to get the Final Aeon? Yunie told you, didn't she? With the Final Aeon, she can beat Sin. But then… but then, if she calls it, the Final Aeon's gonna kill her! Even if she defeats Sin! It'll kill Yunie too, you know?!" Rikku fell to her knees, sobbing wildly, like a little child. She beat her fists against the ground, and tore at her hair in utter devastation. I felt like crying, and I could feel the sting of tears in my eyes, but they didn't come. Only pain, and suffocation came, and I felt like this whole world was a lie. Yuna was going to die. I… Yuna… the only girl I'd ever… I'd ever loved. Truly loved and wanted to be with forever… she was going to die. To save the rest of us. I must have sounded evil to her! All my talk about after Sin and defeating Sin, and my moaning about Zanarkand. It must have made her so upset. Then, the fury arrived.

Why hadn't they told me?! Was I so stupid I wouldn't understand?! Lulu didn't want me to love Yuna, this was why! She didn't want me to stop Yuna from journeying, if she had maybe fallen in love with me too! They were all the biggest bunch of selfish, horrible people I had ever met! I tried to control my temper when my distorted words leaked out.

"Was I the only one…? Who didn't know?" My words were a faint whisper, almost silent, and I wouldn't have been surprised if they couldn't hear me. I knew they could hear me, they could always hear me, talking about Sin, defeating it, Zanarkand! How could they?! I fell to my knees and shook the desperate form of Rikku, my voice hysterical. A hot tear managed to escape my eyes, and I tasted salt as it ran towards my lips. Another fell, and I lost it.

"Why didn't I know?! Why were hiding it from me?!" I screamed. Wakka spoke, not Rikku, who was making little sobbing noises.

"We weren't hiding it…" he said quietly. Big brother…

"It was just… too hard to say," Lulu finished for him, shaking her head in grief. Big sister…

_Yuna will die…_

I cried out to the skies, and fell farther onto my knees, my fists hitting the ground. I pounded against it with as much rage as I could put forth, but all I could feel was my heart shattering into hundreds of little pieces. _Yuna will die… _My tears came thick and fast now, and I yelled out in frustration, anger, devastation. My sobs were choking ones, and I was literally choking on the air around me, as I tried not to pass out I was so distraught. I was yelling too, in amongst my muffled cries of pain, and I beat my fists harder, relishing the pain I felt throbbing from my pained knuckles. _Yuna will die… _

"Lulu?!" my voice sounded traumatized, lost. "How could you?! How COULD YOU?!" I screeched. My tears mingled with the blood of my bleeding knuckles that had seeped through my gloves, as I wiped at my running face. It smeared across, but I didn't care. I didn't care about anything anymore. No one. Not anything. Screw Zanarkand. Screw Sin. Screw everyone in the whole of DAMN Spira! Except Yuna… beautiful Yuna, my Yuna. "Aren't you like a sister to her?! Aren't you supposed to be FAMILY?!" I accused, rage making my eyesight blurred. My heart was thundering against my ribs, my stomach tied in knots. _Yuna will die… _I snarled. "Why don't _you_ do something Wakka?!" Lulu grabbed my wrist, a tear running down her face too. She looked so angry, almost as angry as me.

"Don't you think we tried to stop her?! She follows… her heart…" she breathed the last part, and clutched hard on my wrist with her sharp nails. Wakka pulled her up, eyes stony, fists clenched.

"She knew what she was doing… when she chose to become a Summoner. To face Sin, ya, Yuna knew!" his words were rougher now, more coarse, as he struggled to disguise his pained emotions. Rikku was on her feet again, wiping her face, and snivelling.

"But, Wakka, that's just totally wrong! Summoners shouldn't have to sacrifice themselves!" she yelled.

_Yuna will die… _

"But that is our choice," Issaru was speaking, pulling me from the ground. I refused to be moved, the weight in my heart choking me to death. I felt like I was drowning.

"We all live in fear of Sin," Dona said softly.

"But, a world without Sin- that is the dream of Yevon's children," Issaru added. "And we will use that power, even if it means our lives!" I was standing up, crying harder than even when my mother died, yelling out in pain, gritting my teeth, trying to make my broken heart beat again. It felt like I had been stabbed, over and over and over. I ran to a wall, and began pounding it with my injured hands.

"And I've been telling Yuna-" _punch_- "let's go to Zanarkand together!" - _Yuna will die_…- "Let's go defeat Sin!"-_punch_- "I told her all those things!" - _Yuna will die_…- "I told her everything could… could… And all this time I didn't know a thing!" I rammed another fist into the wall again, hitting it aimlessly now, crying out in horror at myself. I fell to my knees again, crying softly. My voice was quieter when I spoke next. "But Yuna… she'd… she'd just smile…" That beautiful smile, the real one, that broke my heart all over again as I thought of it. Of Yuna ceasing to live, her eyes ceasing to glitter, her smile ceasing to be there when I wanted it to.

_Yuna will die…_

I saw our memories together… not mine… both of ours. We were on the balcony, overlooking Luca…

* * *

"_Hey, come with me!" Yuna announced excitedly. I was so lost in my own sorrows, I barely had time to jolt at her touch. _

_She tugged me up to the railings, and stopped, pressing her two fingers into her mouth, and blowing. A sharp, clear, surprisingly sweet whistle emitted. I couldn't help by smile at her ecstatic face. _

"_Hey… you got pretty good," I said, trying to sound enthusiastic. Yuna tilted her head to one side. _

"_Tidus? You sound… sad," she said, her eyes immediately loosing their glitter, becoming deeply saddened at whatever pain was troubling me. I glanced at her beautiful face, the soft light of the setting Lucian sun accentuating her flawless appearance._

"_Yeah… maybe," I muttered, sighing. She giggled softly, causing me to glance up. She bit her lip, pressing her hands behind her back._

"_Wanna scream?" she asked, playfully. I grinned, my sadness rapidly deteriorating just being in the presence of this wonderful girl._

"_I don't think that's going to help this time…" I breathed, staring out at the sea. Yuna nodded understandingly. _

"_You know what?" Yuna piped up suddenly. _

"_Hmm?" _

_"It's embarrassing to say this myself... But Summoners and their Guardians are kind of like Spira's **ray of light**__. A lot of people in Spira depend on us. I learned to __**practice smiling **__when I'm feeling sad, you know?" She bit her lip, smiling softly at me. She reached up and hesitated before settling her gentle hand down on my shoulder and rubbing her thumb back and forth softly. _

"… _I know it's hard," she breathed. I had to smile at the concern that took her over then, her eyes wide and meaningful, every part of her trying to make me feel better. _

_"Yeah... I understand. I think," I added, my eyebrows knotting together. Yuna removed her hand from my shoulder, and I suddenly felt much colder. _

"_You say you understand? Okay, let's see what you can do!" she chimed, giving me a big fake Yuna smile. I frowned. _

_The corners of my mouth flinched up, my muscles protesting. Yuna laughed at me._

"_Come on! You call that a smile!" she bent over, whispering- "I bet Lulu could do better!" I really did smile at that, but this was freaking me out._

"_Yuna! …This is weird!" I laughed. She smiled, giggling._

"_Okay, now try laughing out loud!" she ordered, and turned round to face me. I raised a brow and opened my mouth in a round shape, emitting a feeling less noise. "Come on! Show me!" Yuna laughed. I took a deep breath, my voice emotionless._

"_A ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha." This was actually helping all the pent up frustration I had. I got louder, shouting the syllables out as loud as I could. "A ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha." _

_Yuna giggled, and placed her hand on my arm, catching my attention. _

"_Uh, Tidus, I think you should stop!" she insisted, grinning as I shook my head and stood up straight. I winked and started my forced laughing again. I did it a little less frustrated this time, but it was still forced and robotic sounding. _

_Her eyes lit up and she beamed at me, joining me in my forced laughter. We both doubled up each time._

"_A HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! A HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!" _

_We both exploded in a fit of real laughter._

"_Too funny!" she clutched her stomach with her free hand, gasping for air. _

"_It was your idea!" I insisted, turning round to face her. _

"_Um, thank-you," she breathed, smile small, beautiful. I frowned._

"_Uh… for what?" I asked, like some imbecile. She giggled and continued to gaze long and hard into my eyes, the light breeze tickling her tresses, making them fly and sway. _

"_I want my journey to be __**full of laughter**__…" her voice was suddenly sad, and I saw a __**secret sorrow **__flash in her eyes. _

* * *

I stood up straight, gathering strength from that moment with her, wiping away the hopeless tears, ignoring the searing pain in my hands.

"I won't let her die!" I vowed. "I'll find her!" All the others nodded, although, I don't think any of them actually believed me.

Rikku just pulled me by the hand, and it was a blur through tunnels, and hallways, screaming people roaring fiends and corpses of Al Bhed. It was all a swirling mass of colour and fire and pain. But eventually we reached Cid's airship. Rikku's brother was running around, screaming stuff in Al Bhed, and Cid was watching a control panel, his weathered face dark and serious.

"_Hu desa! Ku, ku, ku_!" he ordered fiercely. Rikku's brother ran to the controls of the ship and settled down, checking a clock in haste. He groaned.

"_Drnaa sehidac mavd_!"

Cid scowled and slapped the back of Brother's bald head. He winced in pain, and Cid snarled instructions in heavy Al Bhed for a moment, before glancing at the clock again, and shaking his head hurriedly.

"_Rinno, rinno! Oui ryja uha sehida_!" he yelled. I skidded to a halt, and began shouting at Cid, desperate to know why Yuna hadn't been in the sanctum. Why I didn't have her at my side right this instant.

"Where's Yuna?!" I screeched, and Cid seemingly ignored me completely, flicking switches on the ship. We were at the main bridge, machina wired up everywhere, shining lights twinkling as Cid adjusted all of the switches and levers. A driving seat was up front before a huge windscreen, the controls complicated looking. It was all hard, cold metal, metallic and unfeeling. I shivered, even though it was boiling hot in the desert. It was like we were in our own private oven. Cid had ignored me, and threw a glance over his shoulder as he asked,

"_Ajanouha uh puynt_? _Ajanouha ymeja_?" in a hurried tone. I growled, and stepped forth, shoving his arm. Rikku squeaked and Auron shook his head in disapproval, whilst Wakka muttered his discomforts of being stowed away inside an Al Bhed airship. Lulu was at his side as usual, and Kimahri was sniffing the air, like he was testing if it was safe or not.

"I said, _where's Yuna_?!" I bellowed at Cid, my eyes flaring with heat, my voice cracked and painful. It hurt to talk, my throat scratchy and dry. All the yelling and crying had probably done that. I lost it after that, and Cid turned round, so I started beating my fists into his heavily padded chest. "Where is she?! Answer me! Answer me, damn you!" I screeched, my anger raising it's head like a fiend about to deal the death blow to it's human prey. Cid looked unruffled by my weak attempts to hurt him, and he was old. I knew I could have hurt him if I could control my body. I just… couldn't! Nothing was right! Nothing was working! Yuna… Yuna couldn't DIE! She just _couldn't! _I looked up at Cid through pained eyes, and he was staring back down at me, glittering emerald eyes burning with loathing and disgust. His arms were folded tight against his chest. I was about to fall to my knees.

"What'll you do when you find her, eh?" he snarled coldly. I thought frantically. Hold her! Tell her it would all be okay! Kiss her! … But then I realised what he meant was- are you going to make her continue her pilgrimage and die for you? Will you let her? I dropped my aching fists from Cid's shirt and bowed my head in shame, speaking softly.

"I didn't know, Cid. I didn't know anything about what Summoners…were supposed to do…" my self loathing crept up my throat again, and I couldn't breathe anymore, my head swimming, my hands shaking as I tightened them together. "And… I told her… all those things… without even knowing…" I whimpered, like a child. Like a stupid child. I looked up at Cid again, and he was watching me carefully. I needed to apologise. I wanted to get down on my knees, and beg Yuna's forgiveness. I wanted to scream to the heavens that I hated myself for what I had done- I wanted to confess my love for her, as loud as my lungs would allow me to scream. "I have to apologise!"

"That's it? You're gonna tell her _you're sorry_? And then you're going to drag her to Zanarkand, and make her fight Sin, huh? _You're all the same_! Let the Summoner _die_ so we can live in _peace_!" Cid was furious with me, and he was stronger than he looked. He seized my shirt now, and threw me to the floor. The pain was welcome, a numbing feeling to my cold, painful body. But… how dare he just accuse me?! I stood, and brushed myself off, making the promise to myself with all my heart.

"No! I'm NOT going to let Yuna die!" I yelled back at him. Cid's eyes tightened, and he shook his head.

"Aah, words! Show me action!" he roared at me, hatred seeping from his eyes, from his lips as he said the words. I shook my hand, the blood mottled blue of my glove catching my eyes as I swung, my blue eyes feeling static as I used them just as Rikku had told me the Al Bhed used theirs. To burn another. To persuade them, to convince them.

"I'm telling you, she WON'T die!" I swore. Cid looked taken aback. His anger faded from his eyes, as he watched mine with rapt fascination. Rikku and Brother were staring in shock too, at the power I could wield over them. Cid reached up and brushed at his eye, like he was removing a tear that had leaked in his fury. He sighed and took a deep breath, before returning to stare at me whole-heartedly, his voice sincere and caring.

"Boy… don't you forget those words. Or else… I'm gonna make you regret it," his last words were forceful, silky smooth for such a rough voice, and dangerous. Pure danger in it's unrequited form. I nodded my head, and placed a hand on my heart.

"I won't."

Cid nodded gravely, and walked slowly to the centre of the bridge, where a floating blue sphere sat, coordinates and the like buzzing within. I followed and watched the sphere too, more than a little confused by the jumble of Al Bhed and numbers inside. I glanced at Cid who was focused on one spot.

"So… you know where she is?" I asked carefully. Cid raised a brow and shrugged.

"Course not! That's why we're gonna look! Using this airship!" he roared, and nodded at Brother, who had taken his seat in the drivers booth, and was settling himself in, running his yellow fingernails along the wheel. The airship gave a vigorous shudder, and Brother glanced back.

"_Vydran! Nayto du ku_!" he called. Cid grinned and stood up straight, cheering loudly.

"Yeeeehaa! _Y vmekrd _1000_ oaync ujantia_!"

Suddenly, we were being lifted up into the air, sand flying all around us in a whirlwind of gold and yellow, reminding me of the essence of the Al Bhed. I glanced out the huge window, and saw below us a burning Home, flames roaring madly, fiends snapping at the ground and the flying ones soaring up trying to reach us. Brother shot at them with cannons on either side of the ship, and they fell easily, pyreflies encircling us too as we sped away from Home. Brother sighed heavily, and suddenly he began singing. His voice was NOT pleasant. But somehow, hearing him and Cid begin the Hymn of the Fayth was soothing, comforting. I thought of Yuna. Then, all the Al Bhed were singing it, including Rikku, who did have a beautiful voice. It was high and chiming, like a mockingbird's, and she sang in harmony with her father's rough voice, and her brother's tuneless one, the perfect soprano to their bass. I saw why they were singing. Brother had just launched missiles that were blowing Home to pieces. And all of the fiends along with it. I gasped, as a huge explosion of fire and sand blew to the sky, and the aftershock flew out after us, catching the tail end of the airship, urging Brother to push it faster and faster in an attempt to flee from it. We did manage to chase it out, and Brother flung the ship out into the vast expanse of the desert. He started to cry. Cid sighed and started talking to him in Al Bhed, comforting his tears. Rikku looked depressed. Wakka patted her back.

"Hey Rikku… don't get so down about ya Home. BOOM! Like big happy festival fireworks, ya?" he tried in vain to cheer her up. She pouted and shot an angry glare at him.

"You can cram your big happy festival, meanie!" she squeaked. I bit my lip and looked around the bridge for something to do. Anything to help find Yuna. Cid was telling Lulu how he had no idea how the ship worked, or how the device they were using to find Yuna even worked. He said it was all because of the Yevon taboo on machina, he said they were running around in the dark. That wasn't encouraging, so I veered away from Cid and Lulu and talked to Rikku instead.

"I'm fine… no really, I'm alright… nothing to be sad about… like pops said, you can rebuild machina a thousand times… oh, _sands_…." she was muttering nervously to herself, and wringing her small hands together. I sighed. She wouldn't help take my mind off things.

I started to pace. Things were clouding my vision again, thoughts of Yuna in deep trouble, surrounded by fiends, or of her praying in a temple and being attacked while her back was turned. I was jiggling around nervously from foot to foot, trying to think of happy things. Blitzball. The ocean. Yuna. Yuna smiling… Yuna laughing… NO! No more Yuna-centric thoughts. It hurt too much to think of her not being alive anymore… of her… dying. I couldn't let that happen. I'd promised Cid, and I'd promised myself, and I wouldn't let her die. I'd sooner die myself than let her life end. I don't think I could bear it. Cid and Auron were fighting now, over what Yuna would do when they found her.

"…Even against her will?"

"Better then dyin' a dog's death! And I'll take down anybody who gets in my way!"

"…You're the captain."

"Yeah! It's settled then!" Wakka looked like he was going to pass out. I hadn't been listening to the first part of their conversation, so I walked up to him and inquired what was wrong. He gazed at Rikku while he spoke.

"He called Yuna, his niece, ya? Dat means… Yuna… she's Al Bhed?! I always thought her eye was just a little off blue, ya know?" I frowned and shook my head, watching him walk to Lulu, and her comfort him by rubbing his arms. Yuna was Yuna. No matter what race she was. And Wakka knew that. I… think. Brother shouted back at his father.

"_Vydran! Fa vuiht _Yuna!"

He'd said Yuna. Did that mean- had we- was she-

"Where is she?" I begged. Brother couldn't understand me, so he shook his head in confusion, and flicked a switch, showing us and image of Yuna.

She was standing in a grand dressing room, Guado women twisting her hair into an elegant knot atop her head, others knelt at her knee straightening out a pure white dress. Yuna's eyes were wretched with pain. I heard bells. Maester Seymour stood watching the goings on, a satisfied smirk on his twisted features. Oh no.

This wasn't happening.

This couldn't be happening.

Seymour was… ALIVE?! No! I… we! We watched him die! We killed him, he was dead! How could he be standing there, holding Yuna against her will, ready to bring her to an alter… seemingly trying to marry her, if he was DEAD?! I gasped, and heard the collective intake of breath of all my comrades.

"Where was that?!" I demanded. Lulu regained her composure first and told me.

"The palace of Saint Bevelle. The heart of Yevon." I shot a glance back at Cid and shook an arm impatiently. Why was he just standing there?!

"Gramps! Let's move!" I shouted. Cid raised his hands in a calming motion.

"Easy kiddo. Bevelle's defences are top notch," he reasoned. I growled.

"What's the matter, gramps? You scared?" I spat. "Yuna's there, so, we go and get her! And that's all!" It seemed pretty simple in my mind. Just seeing her, my heart was racing, my palms were sweating and my eyes were stinging. Cid laughed.

"You got guts, kid. I like that. _Vimm cbaat yrayt! Du _Bevelle!" he called to Brother, who nodded and slammed his dirty boot down on the acceleration, sending up rocketing in the direction of the ancient city.

Yuna was there. We would save her. Me and Cid, we would convince her to quit the pilgrimage. I would… I would tell her how I really felt. Everything would be okay. We'd kill Seymour again if we had to…

If only things were that simple.

But then again, nothing's ever simple in Spira.

Nothing.

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**Tah dah! Told ya I'd update sooner! I've been grounded for a week *sweatdrop* which is why I didn't update last Sunday, but here it is anyways. I hope y'all enjoyed it and will leave me a nice, meaty, long review! I like long reviews! Tell me all your thoughts, or suggestions! I'm open to opinions. Except flamey ones. They're just mean :D **

**Ooh! And if you like this story, could you guys maybe check out my Final Fantasy 7 story 'Dodge 'Em If You Can' and review? I'd love it if you did. I even made a website for it. Oh yeah. I'm cool. :) **

**Currently reading: Chapter 86 of Fruits Basket manga. Akito's a meanie. ;) **


	19. The Wedding

**The song for this chapter, would be Thunder by Boys Like Girls. Pure. Awesome-sauce.**

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**The Wedding.**

_**Tidus**_

At the speed Brother was pelting through the sky at, it didn't take a very long time to get to Bevelle. Cid had been raving about some sort of high security monster that Guarded Bevelle. I didn't believe any monster could be big enough or tough enough that we couldn't beat it. Especially if Yuna was waiting on the other side of the monster, being held against her will by some un-dead Seymour. Besides, we had taken on gigantic Sin spawn and fiends and loads of really dangerous, scary and potentially life-ending monstrosities. As far as I was concerned, I would have Yuna by my side by the end of the day.

And I wouldn't let her die. There was no way in hell Yuna was going to die. I had promised Cid, I had promised myself, and although the rest of them didn't believe me that I would, I thought Cid held some faith in me. He believed that if I wanted her to live that badly, then she would live. And we wouldn't have to say goodbye to her once we reached Zanarkand. Hey, if I got my own way totally, she wouldn't even complete the pilgrimage. Summoners could quit, right? So Yuna didn't have to defeat Sin. There were plenty of others that could do the job. It didn't have to be her. Just because she was Lord Braska's daughter.

Brother told us we would get a better view of the fast approaching Bevelle if we went up and onto the deck. I wasn't too enamoured with the idea of going out onto the actual deck, but standing below it where all the huge spaced windows were was good enough. Bevelle was a city built on water, so all around it was nothing but blue ocean and cloudless sky. I watched the waves ripple past, wondering if there really was a terrifying beast. I walked up beside Auron to inquire, but he was just staring out the window, a twisted grin on his lopsided mouth.

"Huh. Now there's a rare sight," he mused quietly. I frowned and looked out the window too, my mouth dropping open.

Outside the window, hardly a few metres away, was a giant, purple worm. But this worm had wings on either side, soft lilac in colour, thin as gossamer, dazzling in the sunlight. It's teeth were jagged and sharp, menacing to the eye, and it's long, snake like head was bent forth, as it searched around for something to destroy by the looks of things. I gasped in horror at the sight of it, but Auron remained calm. Could this be the monster Cid had been talking about?

"Whoa! That's huge!" I proclaimed. Rikku danced over, flicking hair from her swirly eyes as she bent down and pressed herself against the window to get a better look at the monster.

"Whoa! What the hell is that?" she asked, her voice high in wonder at the sight of it, slightly breathless as she did what I was doing and imagined having to fight the thing. Lulu smiled wryly and settled to a stop beside me, watching as the beast wriggled along like a sea serpent through the sky, surfing clouds as though they were waves, body slinking in and out of view between the fluffy balls of white.

"The Guardian Worm of Bevelle- Evrae. It is a great sacred beast, protector of Bevelle," she explained, eyes widening as she watched it snap it's jaws, drool sliding down out it's mouth as it did. Auron chuckled darkly. He smiled.

"The red carpet has teeth." I would have laughed at his minor joke had I not been frightened out of my wits already by Evrae the worm. It moved out of our line of sight, slinking and sliding through the blue sky, danger in it's true essence. I frowned.

"Means we're close to Bevelle-"

"RIKKU! You read me?" it was Cid's voice yelling unnecessarily in the intercom, his rough, sandpaper voice even more scratchy and distorted as the crappy frequency from the microphone buzzed his words even more. "We're gonna fight that thing! Get up on deck and show 'em what ya got!" he ordered, chuckling slightly at the thought of his tiny daughter fighting that thing off at all. It made him want to laugh louder, but this mission was far too serious for that. "GO!"

"There he goes again," Rikku sighed, shaking her head in disapproval at her father's overly excited attitude. Auron nodded his head deeply.

"The ferryman asks a high price," he muttered. Without any more chit chat, Rikku directed us down to a small elevator at the back of the lower deck, and we latched on, being thrown up by the ancient machina in seconds. We ran out onto the deck, settling into our fighting stances, at loss this time for the bountiful supply of White Magic that Yuna usually provided us with. Without warning, Evrae shot up through the clouds, it's roar shaking the deck we stood on, rumbling low within me. I growled and unsheathed my sword, getting ready to start hitting the thing as much as I could. I heard the missile launchers that had been used to blow up Home being opened again, squealing in protests after years of no use and then twice in one day. Cid was calling out to us over the intercom again.

"We gotta keep our distance boys, but we can't let her get too far away!" he yelled. "Y'all have to tell me when to move!" Just as he said it, Evrae disappeared beneath the clouds, only to come shooting back up again, roaring wildly, right beside the deck of the ship. I gasped at the sheer length of her teeth- they rivalled Anima's. "But tell me quit, ah? This rig ain't so nimble, yeh hear?" Cid ordered, preparing to fire the missiles at Evrae when we were given a clear shot. I nodded.

"Roger! I'll give the commands!" I yelled back to Cid, who made a satisfied sort of noise as I did. Rikku flicked her wrists, causing her knuckle blades to shoot out, making her fists serious weapons.

"Not alone, you won't!" she chimed, running forth with me so we could waste no time in thwarting Evrae, legendary stupid Guardian of Bevelle. It was a freakin' worm!

Evrae was too close to us, and Rikku didn't waste time calling to her father.

"_Vydran_!" Cid made a wild noise that sounded like a strangled laugh.

"Wait a moment!" he called back. I took a deep breath, and cast my newly learned Hasteaga on all of us in the front line, me Rikku and Wakka at the moment. Usually we switched around to give others a rest and others a shot. Wakka then used all of his strength to fire his Blitzball at Evrae's head, winning a roar of disgust as a snarl. Rikku took a shot at it's arm with one of her stronger Al Bhed bombs, and it screeched before reaching forth and swiping at her. It's hand hit her shoulder and I could already practically see the purplish haze of a bruise blossoming on her golden tanned skin. She ignored the pain, and went back to mixing some potions super fast. To give her time, Lulu switched places with her, coming forth and smiling quickly at me as she prepared one of her super powerful spells, chanting the mantra to Firaga, waving her arms in swirling motions, eyes focused, moogle on the ground at her feet, mimicking her moves for added power. She threw her arms out in the direction of Evrae and the spell caught the worm around the neck, the smell of burning flesh wafting to my nostrils. Wakka spiked his Blitzball with heavy Black Magic, before aiming at Evrae's nose again and firing it at her. I watched it smash into her face, and she roared in anger. I took a deep breath and concentrated, getting ready to launch Energy Rain, my favourite attack on her, running forth and jumping into the air, before feeling my White Magic drain into Brotherhood. It sizzled and sparked with energy and magic, before I launched it towards Evrae, sending a shower of sparks and magical bullets firing into her.

"Don't be fallin' now!" Cid yelled, and moved the ship away from Evrae, so we were now separated by quite a big distance. Wakka took this opportunity to use his skills, and launched a full fledged Blitz attack on Evrae, dealing quite a blow with his full throttled shot at her. I switched back with Kimahri, not being much use from this far away, and he quickly used Lancet, absorbing some of Evrae's endurance and a lot of her magic. His smile was wicked as he did it, a sneer- I knew his thought pattern were the same as mine. Evrae stood in the way of Yuna, so that meant we would have to destroy her. There was no ifs or buts about it- Evrae was going down, and we were going towards Yuna. Wakka shot his Blitzball again, but then Evrae used what magic she had left to cast Haste on herself. Nowhere near as powerful as the spell I had cast, but it did increase her speed by quite a bit. She dived beneath the wave like clouds, and reappeared right beside the deck, where she rammed into everyone with her spiky tail. Luckily, the spikes didn't catch anyone, but Lulu looked badly beaten up, so I switched with her, and cast Hasteaga on everybody again, because it was wearing off. Kimahri ran back and traded places with Auron, who took his sword up in the air and prepared Power Break. He ran forth and swiped at Evrae, casting Power Break on her. Wakka fired his Blitzball. Then, she launched her Stone Gaze upon Rikku, petrifying her, so her skin turned a cold, grey colour and she froze on the spot. I pulled an antidote from one of her pouches and shoved it down her open mouth. As the potion ran through her, the greyness slipped away, like sand in the ocean. Evrae raised her head to the sky and screeched, and Wakka fired his Blitzball at her one last time, sending her writhing and twitching until she dissolved into a cloud of untamed pyreflies, twinkling merrily as they danced their way to the Farplane. I head Brother yelling at Cid over the intercom.

"_Cruud! Fa'na mucehk bufan_!" Cid ignored him.

"_E caa_ Bevelle!" he roared. Rikku quickly translated, informing us we were losing power desperately. We were either gonna crash land in Bevelle, or be able to hover around long enough to leap out. One of the two. The ship lurched and began firing through the clouds at top speed, causing us all to hang on for dear life to the deck as Brother lost control. The ship seemed to bounce, and went shooting up towards the sun, higher and higher until I sure we were going to be fried. But at the last second, Brother swerved the airship, sending it flying down back into the clouds, and then skimming along them towards Bevelle.

Bevelle was like a huger, more complex version of Kilika docks, all built on water, except the buildings were the grandest I had seen in Spira, huge and red in colour, golden designs reflecting the light of the sun entwining their way across the buildings. A huge set of steps led up to the main alter of Bevelle, a long, crimson red carpet spread out along the main aisle. I saw hundreds of monks armed with machina. Machina! After all the preaching they did about it to the Al Bhed! Amongst the sea of blue and red, I saw a speck of white.

Yuna.

All I could think was, "I'm coming Yuna." I'm coming.

**_Yuna_**

Wedding days are supposed to be the best day of a woman's life. In the stories Chappu would tell me when I was a little child, all the brides were happy, all the time. Or else, they were unhappy to begin with, but where soon to be rescued by their one true love. Their knight in shining armour. No such thing was going to happen for me. My dress was beautiful. My hair had been done up, the flowers that littered the aisles and the steps were wonderful, fragrant. But never in my life have I wanted anything more than to just not be helpless. To be able to cast Black Magic spells as strong as Lulu's, or to be able to fight my way off using only my fists and a few well placed bombs like my younger cousin. But no. I was a White Mage, a Summoner. I had to call on my Guardians to protect me. And where are they now? I have no idea. They were lost, after Macalania.

I had prayed to Yevon countless times since then that they were alive and alright. My fate may have been decided, and I may have been made to die, but I did not want the same fate to befall my closest friends and relatives. Or… Tidus.

I could feel tears welling in the back of my mismatching eyes as I thought of him. Stunning, platinum blond hair, that I imagined to be silky smooth, perfect to curl my fingers in. His eyes, electrifying blue that made my knees wobble, my heart race a mile a moment, my palms sweat, my mind wander. His deep, dark tan, that made him glow in the sunlight, in the sunset and the dawn. Athletic body, strong muscles, soft skin, always willing to pull me from harms way, to fight for me, to never give up. It made my heart wrench in sadness. I didn't want to die. I've never particularly wanted to die, but now he was here, and now I had… fallen in love with him… I was rethinking everything. Sir Auron would be so disappointed… I'd never be able to show my face in Besaid again. And Tidus might find a way back to Zanarkand. I would journey on… unless something radical took place, my mind would not waver. I'd sacrificed too much already.

So I loved him. That was what these strange symptoms recalled, the illness that couldn't be cured. I tightened my grip on the bouquet of flowers I held fisted in my hands as I drew closer to the alter. The guards were smothering me, their machina weapons menacing and cruel. They had spent so long ridiculing the Al Bhed, torturing them, when the hypocrites had done naught but use the seriously forbidden machina. The dangerous sort.

I bit my lip, holding back tears. No. I wouldn't cry. I had resisted the urge to cry throughout this entire pilgrimage, and I was getting better at not letting the dead weep through me after Sendings. They used my tear ducts to portray their sadness. There was nothing more I could do. I wanted to be strong like Lulu and Rikku, so I didn't cry. They wouldn't cry in a situation like this. I wondered if Seymour would kiss me. Would he dare press his lips against mine? Touch me with those gruesome claws that myself and Tidus had once made fun of? A weak smile played on the edges of my lips as I recalled those happy memories, imitating Maester Mika, laughing at Seymour, Tidus stealing Lulu's moogle for fun and then dropping it because it scares him.

Why couldn't things be like Chappu's stories? Why wasn't this a faerie tale? The only sound was silence. The occasional tinkle of my necklace hitting one of my earrings, or my boots against the ground. Seymour was smirking, that twisted, hungry look in his eyes that terrifies. Oh, _why _wasn't Tidus here? When he was with me, I forgot about what I was afraid of, what frightened me… All I could see was him, all I could think of was him. The wedding bells had long since ceased to ring. I reached the end of my aisle, and Seymour met at my side. I didn't look at him at all, just kept my eyes fixed on the alter at the top of the steps, ignoring the many armed men around me, focusing my attention on there. I kept walking and walking, my heart weighing me down. It felt like these steps never stopped, just carried on forever. Something caught my eye just above the alter.

Hundreds of pyreflies, swarming, like a fiend had just been slaughtered in the sky. I frowned, watching them now, as myself and my future monster of a husband ascended higher and higher, coming closer and closer to my fate. I should have cried.

Suddenly, Maester Kinoc had the guards on red alert pointing up to the sky. I stopped dead in my tracks and raised my head to the sky, swiping my long veil away from my face, the wind billowing around me. It fell in a pool of gossamer at my feet, as I stared. An airship. An Al Bhed airship. Swerving through the sky, looking like it was on it's last legs. Seymour snatched my arms and tugged violently, one of his long claws scraping along my arm. I hissed in pain. He dragged me up the remaining steps, but I pulled my arm away, and watched the events unfold. Two long, thick cords shot down to the ground, heavy copper claws attached to the ends. They clamped onto the ground, through the carpet, through the tile and I looked up to see who emerged from the airship. My smile escaped before I could conceal it, and my heart leapt up from it's resting place in my stomach.

Sliding down the cords, first, sword at the ready, dashing smile in place- my one true love.

My knight in shining armour.

**_Tidus_**

The priests and Maester Kinoc were firing mercilessly at us with their forbidden Al Bhed machina, but the ship was built to withstand that kind of attack. We, all the Guardians had leapt upon the cords without thinking, and were sliding down them towards Yuna. My boots created friction, and sparks flew from where the copper met the hard soles of my boots. I balanced as best I could, Rikku close behind me. The cords got tangled, so I ducked to escape one crossing over the other, and then jumped back onto my original place of sliding. Amazed at myself, a grin leaked onto my face, and I saw Yuna properly for the first time. Her dress was stunning, pure white and she was a picture of innocence, feathers attached to the hem, a long skirt trailing out the back. Her veil had fallen forgotten to the floor. I didn't much like her hair- I preferred it free and billowing, but she was still heartbreakingly lovely.

We slid off the cords, landing on our feet, and preparing to sweep our Summoner off her feet and carry her to safety.

"Yuna!" I yelled from where we landed. Each of us snapped into our attacking modes, fighting our way through countless guards, some with machina guns, all to reach her. She was within my sight- I couldn't let her slip away. Not again. I slashed my sword at one guard, and it caught his armour, sending him flying the ground. My sword was jagged along one edge, so it served as perfect leverage over the now panicking guards. It was futile to waste time when Seymour could hurt Yuna at any moment, so Lulu fired a long blast of Thundaga down the centre of the red carpeted aisle, sending countless guards flying out of our way. Rikku threw bombs in all directions, Wakka fired a curve shot with his Blitzball, hitting three guards as it swung around like a boomerang. Kimahri was just stepping on guys.

Auron slashed the last guy out of myself and Rikku's way as we were leading the pack, but just as I was about to dash up the final set of stairs and grab Yuna, we were fired at from all angles, bullets hitting the ground and sparking wildly. It was Kinoc standing directly in front of us with a gun. His face was contorted in one of fury.

"This has gone far enough!" he snapped. I growled, and made to run forth. What was some old dude in a dress going to do to keep me away from Yuna? Nothing is what. Absolutely nothing. Auron snapped his arm across my front, his huge blade still clutched tight in his hand.

"Stop," he muttered, gazing at Kinoc with such contempt it made the old man drop back a little in fear. Auron's smirk was twisted and cruel as he continued to survey Kinoc over the cover of his tinted glasses. More guards clicked the hammers back on their guns, ready to fire at us mercilessly. I gritted my teeth and shoved past Auron, but Kinoc stuck the barrel of the gun under my chin, straight into my neck. He prodded at me with it, urging me back. I sighed. I wouldn't be much use in rescuing Yuna if I was a dead man. He poked me harder, and I raised my head up to look at Yuna. She was pulling her staff from under her dress, and I saw a strap where she had put it for safe keeping. She flicked it, and it grew long, and blue and deadly to the undead Seymour. A few flicks of that thing, and Seymour would be Sent to the Farplane quicker than he could say, "DAMN!" Yuna stepped out in front of Seymour, holding her staff out before her, scowling at him. The first time I'd ever seen Yuna hate someone so much, her face contorted into that hateful expression. Seymour smirked.

"You would play at marriage, just for a chance to Send me? Your resolve is admirable. All the more fitting to be my lovely wife," he said smoothly. I swear to YEVON I was going to run forth and sword or no sword, gun or no gun, I was going to beat him to a pulp, ruin his evil sneer and freezing cold icy eyes. Yuna turned the staff around, and I heard pyreflies. Seymour raised his hands and watched her, waiting to see what she would do. Maester Mika was behind him. He stuck a withered old hand up and shook it.

"Stop! Do you not value your friend's lives?" Yuna dropped the staff and her eyes lingered over us, stopping on Rikku momentarily, who being forced to the ground by a guard and spat on, and then her gaze locked with mine. Her eyes burned. "You actions determine their fate! Protect them… or _throw them away_! The choice is yours," he said croakily, waving his hands in a sweeping gesture at us. I bit my lip and watched Yuna do the math in her head. I knew that look. She felt alone- defeated. I growled, and Kinoc stepped away from my neck with his gun, but the guards surrounding us with their pistols didn't flinch. I clenched my fists tightly. Yuna dropped her staff, shutting her eyes tight, and I watched it bounce down the steps, an echoing sound, shaking me down to my core, as it landed at my feet. Seymour smiled smugly.

"You are wise," his voice was hungry, sleazy. We all knew what came at the end of a wedding. Mika stood behind them, and blessed them. Yuna's eyes were dark, darker than I had ever seen, and she seemed to be steeling herself.

"I hereby pronounce you man, and wife. You may now kiss the bride," Mika wheezed, and Seymour smiled slickly, his eyes flashing with danger and hunger. Yuna took a deep breath and held it in, as he raised his right claw and ran it the length of her porcelain white arm. She looked him up and down in disgust. He settled his other set of claws on her other shoulder, and brought his lingering claws from her hip to her right shoulder. I clenched my teeth, and my grip was so tight I thought my hand was going to break in two. I couldn't watch this, refused to. What if this was Yuna's first kiss? What if she had never been kissed by anybody before?! Seymour was her first! That sickened my stomach. Seymour ran a claw down her face and down into the plunge of her neckline. Wakka growled. Rikku was whimpering on the floor, where the guards held her down like a beast. Seymour half smiled at Yuna, telling her with his eyes that he was going to enjoy this. I stepped forth in anger, as Yuna shut her eyes tight and held her head firmly in place, making it awkward for Seymour to bend his head. He clasped her tight, and I was going to run forth.

His lips caught hers.

Wedding bells rang throughout us all, and Yuna's eyes shut tighter as his lips refused to move, as his tongue darted out to run along her bottom rose coloured lip. I looked to Yuna's side, and saw her fist clench, tighter and tighter, so tight, it was shaking with fury. I let out a low breath, a predatory growl rumbling in my throat. He had three seconds to get his slimy paws off of Yuna. He pulled away from her lips, and held her close. She turned her face away from us, ashamed. Seymour smiled.

"Kill them," the words were quick and low. Yuna gasped. He pointed at Rikku. "The heathen first. I want the Al Bhed to know their precious princess was the first to be slayed and her golden blood was first to stain this church's floors." Yuna was tugging away from him, horrified. Kinoc frowned at me.

"I am sorry. But it is for Yevon," he murmured. Auron sneered.

"Aren't those weapons forbidden by Yevon?" he asked coldly. Kinoc smiled back at him, cruelly.

"There _are_ exceptions," he muttered, clicking the hammer back on his gun. I could hear Rikku yelling in Al Bhed, as the guards lined her up to be shot.

"NO!" I looked up, to see Yuna as far away from Seymour as she could get, her hair falling out, her flowers discarded on the ground. She was standing on the back of the alter, where it ended, and descended into a 500 metre drop. This was the very first time I had ever seen Yuna angry. Only time I had ever seen her mad in anyway. Her eyes burned with hatred for Seymour, her body was rigid, her fists clenched, her teeth gritting together. She brought all attention onto herself.

"Throw down your weapons! Let them go! Or else…" she growled, and took a great step back. Seymour didn't even flinch. She took another step back, and he looked mildly interested. Her last step. She was teetering over the edge, her long gown train hanging off the end, fluttering in the wind of such a height. Seymour sighed and waved his arm, and all the guards and Kinoc dropped their weapons. Rikku pulled herself from the ground, and spat at one of the guards, coming to my side and watching Yuna with worried eyes. I took that as my cue, and ran forth with her at my side, towards Yuna. Closer and closer. Yuna watched me, with her burning eyes dying down a bit, and she begged.

"Leave now, please," she implored. I shook my head fiercely, opening my mouth to speak to her. I stared into her eyes, my gaze burning. She didn't look away.

"You're coming with us!" I yelled surely, and Rikku nodded at my side. Yuna shook her head, eyes sorrowful now.

"Go, now, please!" she begged us again. Seymour walked forth a little. Yuna's eyes snapped to him, and became fiery again, Ifrit's essence burning within her. She bared her teeth at him in anger.

"This is foolish. If you fall, you'll die," he said casually, and I almost turned round and smacked his ugly face right then. But I was watching Yuna, and I would have laughed had she not been death threatening. She raised her right wrist to her lips, and dragged the back of her arm and then her gloved hand along her lips, wiping all of Seymour's slime from them. His eyes flashed dangerously. She looked back at me, fire dying down, and I saw Valefor's calm, loving attitude reflected in those eyes.

"Don't worry," she promised. "_I can fly_." I shook my head in anger, disbelief. What the hell was she talking about?! She couldn't fly! She couldn't even wield a sword for Spira's sake! She smiled at me, softly, lovingly. I let out a low breath. "Believe…" she breathed. I watched her carefully, her small, meaningful smile, her peaceful eyes. I nodded.

Yuan knew what she was doing. She was Yuna. She was helpless, but she was strong, a fighter. I stepped back a little with Rikku, as Yuna's smile blossomed across her face, and she nodded and me. Slowly raising her arms up, bending her elbows, her hands met in the middle and she breathed deeply. I heard her words ring in my head.

"Believe…"

She dropped.

"YUNA!" I screamed, not being able to stop myself from running forth and almost toppling over the side. Rikku caught my shirt and held me up, face white with terror. We leant over the sides as far as we could, Seymour doing the same a little ways away. We saw Yuna. I had to smile.

She was falling, head first, but her face was still relaxed, as though she was sleeping. She opened her eyes and put her hands out, beckoning. She lit up, like a shooting star that was falling to earth, as she prayed. I glanced up and then a star sparkled in the sky, the clouds twinkling, and I saw him. He came firing down to the earth, keeping his wings pressed firmly to his sides as he made like a missile, falling faster and faster and faster until he was far below Yuna. He stuck his vast wings out, and Yuna landed neatly on his stomach.

Valefor cooed in his throat, his great golden beak opening as he let out a caw of delight at his Summoner being safe in his possession once more. Yuna smiled warmly at him, and ran her still gloved hand along his chest, running her fingers in his warm red feathers, his amber eyes blinking and his head tilting in joy as he looked up at us. Yuna looked up too, eyes hating Seymour. Valefor hissed at him. Then, he flew off. Rikku grabbed my hand tight, and pulled me back down to the other Guardians. She attracted their attention.

"Cover your eyes!" she insisted, before chucking one of her bombs forth. Seymour watched as it clunked to a stop beside him, and then screamed in pain as a blinding light shot from the little grenade, blinding his vision. Now that Yuna was safe, my built up fury and rage pounded up to the surface, and my craving for Seymour's blood intensified. I wanted to run over and rip his head from his shoulders, butcher him, make sure he was freakin' dead this time! Auron snatched me round the neck before I could do a single thing, dragging me down the steps we had fought so hard to get up in the first place. Where had Valefor taken Yuna?

"Let me go!" I roared at Auron. "I'll kill that Seymour!" Kimahri roared.

"Yuna say leave. We leave," he yelled. Lulu nodded.

"We'll meet up with her later!" Auron pulled his sword out again, and pointed at the guards who were attempting to smother us.

"Break through!" he ordered, charging without thinking, slicing through guys arms like they were pieces of bread. We got to the end of the steps and Rikku doubled over, panting as she spoke.

"Where'd Yunie go?" Kimahri nodded in the direction of the palace doors. I frowned. Why would Yuna go there?

"Bevelle Palace is also temple. Yuna go to one place only," he said in his gruff voice, and we nodded in agreement, powering through towards the temple doors. Lulu stopped dead when we had first arrived inside the temple.

"It's… too quiet. A trap?" I growled, and ran a hand through my hair in rage.

"Who cares?! Yuna's waiting for us!" I shouted. Rikku made a confused little noise, and walked across me towards a little flashing box in the corner and began tapping around on the console. A little dinging noise sounded and Rikku muttered unintelligible stuff in Al Bhed. Wakka moaned.

"What's a machina doing in a temple?" he hissed. Rikku shrugged and smiled innocently.

"I guess it does come in handy," she joked lightly. Wakka shook his head.

"That's not what I mean! The teachings! What about the teachings?!" he asked, his face a mask of horror. Rikku shook her head unknowingly.

"Hey! Don't look at me!" she said her face contorting into one of confusion. Rikku found another machina not long after that, and tapped at it to open up a force field leading to the Cloister of Trials. Wakka moaned louder this time.

"Another machina?!" Auron chuckled darkly.

"So this is Yevon's true face. They betray their own teachings," he mused. Wakka sighed, before contorting his face into a mask of pure contempt. His fists clenched.

"They treated us like dirt," he growled.

Without another word in our direction, he powered on forth, ignoring Lulu who tried to console him a little, ignoring Rikku who tried to pat his shoulder, and opened the door to Cloister of Trials, getting ready to make his way through and find Yuna. It was rumoured the Cloister of Trials in Bevelle was the most difficult one there was before Zanarkand. We stepped inside, and instead of what stony platforms or gold like I was expecting from Bevelle Palace Temple, instead there was just a gigantic chasm, a door at the very top of it leading through to the Chamber of the Fayth. The only way up there was through a labyrinth of tunnels and passage ways, all seemingly holographic, so I had no idea how we were supposed to walk around. A smaller platform drew up for us to stand on and manoeuvre ourselves through this tricky Cloister of Trials, to try and obtain the spheres that were situated on platforms of stone, spread far from each other. I groaned. We had to get to Yuna quickly, and this was the only way that we could reach her. It was going to take forever to complete this! I stepped onto the platform first, and everybody hurriedly scurried forth too, as the platform shuddered violently and began to move. We found it hard to steer, and Rikku began arguing with Auron about where certain spheres were, so my head began to pound. Different people wanted to go different ways, others thought we had to put all the spheres in their recesses in a particular order, and my spinning mind made me dizzy. The ache inside of me that was driving me to Yuna was going wild, begging me to go faster so I could be with her sooner.

Eventually, after what seemed like a lifetime, we reached the door to the Chamber of the Fayth. I practically leapt off the platform and sprinted into the little room. It was lavishly furnished, silken blue drapes hanging from the ornate golden ceiling, the door embossed with the picture of some mighty blue beast roaring. The Aeon, I guessed. It was locked, tight, and that wasn't good enough for me. I had to get to Yuna. We had to leave here right now, we couldn't just stand around!

"Yuna?!" I called, my voice hoarse and weak. Wakka gestured at the door. I growled. "Then what are we standing here for?!" I rubbed my hands together, and bent down on my knees to try and tug the protesting door open. It was locked tight, but that didn't stop me. I felt it groan and move a tiny bit, and Wakka yelled out at me. "You can stuff your taboos!" I yelled at him angrily, not relenting. Then Kimahri was beside me, smiling his Ronso smile, baring his huge white fangs at me. He brought his gigantic bicep down to rest beside my meek little human one, and his long claws caught the underside of the door. He bent his knees, and began pulling in sync with me, the door sliding open slowly but steadily, making a screeching noise as we continued to tug, not giving up. Kimahri held it up for me when we had successfully moved it away, and I nodded as he gave me the go ahead to move on forth and get Yuna. Before me where two gigantic pink flower petals spanning out wide and moving to the side whenever I walked closer.

The room was small, and circular, bare compared to the chamber before it. The walls were a rich satin blue, and in the centre of the room was a huge, glowing, yellow, circular crystal, that Yuna, dressed still in her wedding dress was crouched at, hands clasped together, eyes shut tight. She was murmuring under her breath, mouthing the words reverently, her jaw working furiously. A cold sweat ran from her hairline down her nose, her once pristine hairstyle now messy and haphazard, strands fraying around the place. She was shivering, all her heart, soul and mind going into praying for this Aeon. Instead of a man, or a woman's voice singing the Hymn of the Fayth- it was a child. A little child singing the reverent song, granting Yuna strength to keep going, keep praying, keep hoping for Bevelle's Aeon. I then saw a materialization appear before Yuna on the glowing stone.

The little boy. The little boy who had stopped time in Zanarkand, the little boy who had been in my dreams, always, telling me not to cry. I gasped and Auron walked in quietly behind me. I don't think Yuna could hear us.

"What's that?" I breathed, not tearing my eyes away from the hooded child, watching Yuna with shadowed eyes.

"A Fayth. They join with the Summoner, and together receive the Aeon," Auron explained quietly, he too watching the child in wonder. "They are human souls," he continued, "imprisoned in stone by ancient Yevon rights. The dead… should be allowed to rest…" he murmured the last words, eyes becoming lost, voice trailing away as we watched the Fayth boy nod and stop watching Yuna in favour of moving towards her. She raised her head, eyes still shut tight, possessed by some greater spirit. The Fayth boy flew forth, and I watched as he became one with Yuna, lighting her up, making her shimmer and glow like a Fayth herself. She didn't make a noise, but opened her eyes in shock and as the light died away, so did the surprise in her eyes. They slid shut, and her knees buckled, making her tumble forth, wiped out.

"Yuna!" I screamed, rushing forth to her crumpled little body. I fell to my knees beside her, running my fingers the length of her angelic face as it lay relaxed in a deep sleep. I propped her shoulders up with my right arm, so I brought her face closer to my own. Auron turned and left to prepare the way ahead for us. I wiped the freezing sweat from Yuna's brow, and held her close, trying to warm the chill I felt emanating from her up. She shuddered in her trance. Slowly, gently, I slid my other arm beneath her bare knees, feeling the brush of the long feathers on her dress, and leaving her long white train to fall to the ground as I picked her up. Her head rested against my chest, just as it had done when I carried her down the Mi'ihen Highroad. Except this time she wasn't dying of the heat, instead, she was as cold as death. I adjusted her slight form more comfortably in my arms, and began to make my away out of the Chamber of the Fayth.

I emerged from the door, to see the Guardians spread away from each other, and Bevellian guards standing with their machina guns aimed at us menacingly. I gritted my teeth in anger. Maester Kinoc stepped forth, his ancient, bloodshot eyes watching us all individually.

"You are to stand trial," he said coldly. It didn't phase Auron in the slightest, and he merely smirked at the Maester.

"I expect it will be a fair trial?" he asked pleasantly. Kinoc laughed icily, and matched Auron's smile, nodding at the guards to point guns at every inch of us and begin dragging us back to the Cloister of Trials.

"Of course it will," he said smoothly, the edge to his voice making me uneasy. A guard tugged Yuna from my arms, before shoving me into step with Rikku. She was hissing things at them in Al Bhed, and they were shoving the barrels of their guns in her gut. Her eyes shone with contempt.

They herded us through the Cloister of Trials, Maester Kinoc leading them, seeming to know every twist and turn like the back of his withered, ancient hand. They kept us a fair interval apart, so we couldn't conspire to get away. They should have known we wouldn't leave without Yuna, who was stirring and being set on her feet by the guard who had been holding her over his shoulder like she was a sack of potatoes. They handcuffed her and shoved her along. I watched as the tight iron of the cuffs bruised the delicate white skin of her wrists. Her eyes met mine, filled with sorrow and thanks. The train of her dress caught on one of the jagged edges of the stone platforms and tore, leaving a jagged length of fabric covering the backs of her legs. Her hair was almost completely loose.

When we came out of the Cloister of Trials, Kinoc led us through Bevelle Palace and then into a room that was darkened. Yuna was taken away from us, and I swore as they shoved her harshly up and onto a platform before us. Torches lit around us, and I saw a Ronso with a full horn, far taller than Kimahri, wearing Maester's robes. He watched us carefully, before speaking.

"The High Court of Yevon is now in session," he spoke slowly, deliberately, his deep voice echoing across the vast room we were trapped in. "The sacred offices of the court seek nothing but the absolute truth. To those on trial- believe in Yevon, and speak only the truth." He stopped talking, and watched Yuna with sincere eyes. Lulu poked me and fed information through my non-listening ears. I was too focused on Yuna to care about anybody else right now.

"Maester Kelk Ronso.…" Kelk was talking again.

"Lady Yuna. You have sworn to protect the people of Yevon, true?" he asked her. He seemed to like her well enough. Maybe Kelk was going to be fair- maybe he'd hear us out and have mercy on us. We hadn't done anything wrong after all. Guardian's were sworn to protect their Summoners no matter what the circumstance or instance.

"Yes," Yuna answered truthfully. Kelk nodded gravely.

"Then consider. You have inflicted dire injury on Maester Seymour Guado. Conspired with the Al Bhed and helped in their inflections. These are serious and unforgivable crimes," he said seriously, and Yuna looked strongly back at him, refusing to tear her gaze away from his own strong yellow one. Her hands were balled into fists at her sides, her wedding dress torn and abused. "These crimes have disturbed the order of Yevon. Tell this court what possessed you to participate in such violence," Kelk waved an arm around the court and Yuna nodded.

"Your Grace," she began, her voice quiet, yet so very forceful. I knew her eyes were burning. "The real traitor is Maester Seymour! He killed his father Jyscal with his own hands," she insisted. I heard Kelk Ronso let out a low growl, and snort.

"What is this?" he demanded uncaringly. He looked over at Seymour who was watching Yuna from one of the other grand balconies. Seymour raised his brows.

"Hm? Haven't you heard?" he asked, his tone light. Yuna took a deep breath and drew Kelk Ronso's attention back to her.

"Not only that, but Maester Seymour is already dead!" she accused, and Seymour's eyes flitted from pleasant to dark in one flash. His claws clenched at his sides. Lulu defended Yuna.

"It is a Summoner's sacred duty to Send the souls of the dead to the Farplane! Yuna was only doing her job!" she insisted, eyes burning, tone sharp and sure. Kelk nodded in thought and Yuna looked past him to where Maester Mika was standing, watching the events unfold before his withered eyes.

"Grand Maester Mika," she said softly. "Please, Send Maester Seymour now!" Yuna begged. Mika shuffled forth, a confused look in his eyes.

"Send the Unsent to where they belong?" he asked Yuna. She nodded her head. He stood still, a twisted smile curving it's way onto his ancient lips. Yuna stuttered.

"Maester?"

"You would have to Send me too," he croaked, and as he did, pyreflies flitted around him, trying to tug him from where he stood, singing in despair their soft song. We all let out a collective gasp. Mika was an Unsent too!? How could this be? All of these so called Maesters of Yevon- they were all phonies, impostors! They were giving us an unfair trial, when really they were all dead, and disobeying the rules that they had sought so hard to enforce over the years. They had murdered hundreds of Al Bhed, allowed Crusaders to sacrifice their lives, forbidden machina to all- and the bunch of hypocrites were just going against all of that themselves, ignoring all the pain and suffering that went on because they were not atoning for their sins. The rest of Spira was reformed - the Maesters were the only ones who were responsible for Sin still being here, and not being destroyed forever. They made me want to be sick.

"Grand Maester Mika is a wise leader. Even in death, he is still the best choice," Kelk said seriously. Mika chuckled darkly.

"Men die, beasts die, people die. Even continents perish. Only the power of death truly commands in Spira. Resisting it's power is futile," he said coldly. Yuna was struggling to hold all of these new facts in her head, her mind spinning unwillingly going faster and faster, just like mine was. She wrung her hands together and watched Mika with pleading eyes.

"But… what of Sin? I am a Summoner my Lord, just like my father before me. I am on a pilgrimage to stop the death that Sin brings… Are you…? Are you telling me that too is futile?!" she yelled the last words at him, rare anger that I never saw bursting from Yuna, making her clench her fists in fury, making her shoulders tremble as she tried to hold in the anger boiling her blood at that very moment. She took a deep breath. "I am not alone. _All_ of the people you have watched die! All of their troubles, all of their sacrifices- were they all in _vain_?!" she screamed the last words again, rage flying at Mika, burning him as the lovely girl whom everyone thought carried no troubles expressed her true feelings for what felt like the very first time on this entire pilgrimage. I would have smiled in joy had we not been facing a death sentence. Mika shook his head.

"Not in vain. No matter how many Summoners give their lives, Sin cannot be truly defeated. The rebirth cannot be stopped. Yet, the courage that we continue to fight gives the people hope. There is nothing futile in the life and death of a Summoner," he said, calmer than he had been a moment ago, not as wild or insane. Auron shook his head.

"Never futile. But never ending," he murmured coldly, but his words swept across the room as if he had shouted them out loud from the tops of his lungs.

"Indeed. That is the essence of Yevon." Mika's words stung me, just as they were stinging Yuna. She gasped sharply and he nodded gravely. "Yevon is embodied by never-ending, unchanging, eternal continuity, my Lady Summoner." Yuna shook her head refusing to believe.

"No! That can't be right!" she insisted, shaking her head, the rose petals that had been entwined in her locks falling to the floor. Mika raised his arms to sentence us. I held my breath.

"Those who refuse to believe these truths- are traitors!" he growled. Yuna shook her head in horror, and I didn't hear the guard edge up behind me, gun held aloft. Yuna, in her startling white dress, hair askew, heart broken was the last thing I saw, before I was whacked over the head and dragged away to await my sentence.

* * *

I awoke to find myself in what appeared to be a giant, golden bird's cage. Auron was standing up against the bars, his eyes shut tight, but I knew his mind was working furiously as he thought up plans on how to get Yuna and get to hell out of here. I stood, my head sore at the back from where I had been rammed with the cold, hard metal of a machina and I screeched.

"Let me out of here!" I yelled, as loud as I could, although I'm not sure who I was aiming my screeches at. "I want out, you hear me?!" Auron sighed.

"You're wasting your breath," he remarked quietly. I kicked the bars with all my might and effort, before turning and slumping in a heap to the floor. Where were the others? Oh, damn it all! We were separated again! I hated being away from them, us not being together! It didn't feel right and we were better off all sticking with each other. Rikku… the guards had been pretty rough with her. She was a tough cookie and all, but she was still just a kid- they could seriously hurt her if they wanted to. But… I guess being an Al Bhed, she'd been raised to know how to fight off Yevon scum. Lulu and Wakka… I hoped they were together. I hoped that the two of them were holding out okay, but as long as they had each other, they would be fine. And… Yuna… where was she now? She definitely couldn't look after herself without us there to aid and guide her. I wondered where the Yevonite scum had dumped her, and if they had thought to perhaps give her some clothes that weren't that foul wedding dress. I whistled between my teeth absently, to see if she would come. Then, I realised how stupid I was and groaned. Auron's dark eyes flickered to my face.

"I hope Yuna's alright," I voiced my thoughts at him. Auron nodded.

"Mmm. She's strong. She'll make it," he said gently. Anger suddenly surged through me, and the one lingering thought that had been on my mind this entire time, the one thing that couldn't seem to stop echoing around in the back of my mind.

"She's strong? She'll make it? What, so she can die?" I snapped, venom tainting my tongue as I spoke hatefully. Auron stayed silent and I took a deep breath, calming myself down. "Why is it that everything in Spira seems to revolve around people dying?" I asked him, my voice weak.

"The spiral of death. Summoners challenge the bringer of death, Sin, and die doing so. Guardians give their lives to protect their Summoner. The Fayth are souls of the dead. Even the Maesters of Yevon are Unsent. Spira is a never ending spiral of death. Only Sin is reborn, and then, to bring more death. It is the cycle of death, spiralling endlessly," he said, his voice emotionless as he rattled off the destruction and lives that had to be ended in order for Spira to remain as it always was. The never-ending spiral of death. Kinoc walked across a long walk way in the middle of the vast room where out cage was, and he frowned at us.

"Come out. Your sentence has been decided," he said. Auron sneered at him, helping me to my feet. I sneered too.

"Sentence? Don't you mean execution?" Auron asked him snidely, hatred seeping into his words, making Kinoc shift nervously from foot to foot despite himself. Kinoc reapplied his smiling face and shook his head in mock disappointment at Auron.

"Really now, what person would execute a dear friend?" he asked, his tone light as a feather and mocking. Auron snorted.

"You would."

We were moved again by armed guards just as we had been previously, and luckily we met up the others so that put my wandering thoughts on what had happened to them to rest. Rikku looked like she'd been beaten up a little, a gash on her lip, and a bruise on her right cheek that was a nasty shade of purple and green, but apart from that, she smiled weakly when she saw me and kicked her boot out at the Yevonite guard who shoved his gun in her gut. However, I was blindfolded then, and the soldiers were yelling so much, I couldn't hear what happened to my friends. When my blindfold was removed, they were all gone, and a soldier led me up to a platform that stretched out over a gigantic body of water, blue as the sky and as deep as the middle of the ocean. It was like Bevelle Palace's own private ocean/swimming pool.

The solider didn't waste any time in shoving me hard in the back, causing me to tumble into the water. I decided that the only thing I could do was swim and see if I found the others. Soon enough, I saw a tuft of red hair and a big smile, as Wakka cheered.

"You made it!" he yelled happily. Rikku was close at his side, nursing a cut on her forearm. She pulled a potion from a space on her leg and drank it, stopping the pain, but not the blood. I glanced at her.

"You okay?" She nodded and flashed me a brilliant smile.

"I've been better, but I've also been worse," she replied and Wakka grinned at us both. I looked back at him, eyes curious.

"What's our sentence?" I questioned. He shrugged and glanced around.

"Think they expect us to give up and die down here," he mused, tilting his head back in the water a little. It was surprisingly warm, not at all unpleasant., kind of like a sphere pool, so me and Wakka felt right at home. I grinned at him.

"That's a lame way to kill someone," I joked. Rikku swam a little bit to the side and frowned, her lips pouting out.

"Where's Yunie?" her high voice echoed throughout the cavern we were swimming in. I shrugged.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. Rikku's brows furrowed, and she looked from me to Wakka and then all around the cavern again. Her eyes sparked, set alight by some unknown amusement she had just thought of.

"Think we should wait for her?" she asked me playfully. I thought this over. Yuna had gone in before me, because I had been the last of them to be dumped. So, chances were she was already on her wait to trying to get out of here. I shook me head, little droplets of water flying from the tips and landing on Rikku's face and Wakka's chest. I grinned.

"Let's wait for her at the exit," I suggested.

"If there is an exit," Rikku muttered, and dunked her head below the water, making her hair soaking wet, her eyelashes cling together. We started swimming then, in any direction we could, trying to find out way out from this vast ocean like place.

**_Yuna_**

Somebody asked for my forgiveness. The guard that dropped me into the Via Purifico, I think. That made me happy, despite my situation. It meant that he still seemed to treat me as a Summoner, as someone who was trying to help him through defeating Sin. But when I awoke, lying on the cold stone floor of the Via Purifico, I had forgotten all about that fleeting pleasure I felt, because there I was again, trapped, powerless without a Guardian to protect me in sight. And this time, I would probably actually need a Guardian. Who knew what fiends lurked down here, in the shadows of the tainted Yevon I had once worshipped so completely? They probably ensured there were all sorts of vicious beasts roaming here, so that whatever prisoners they dumped in the depths were surely mauled by the beasts if they made it through the water. I had not been left in the water, but on the opposite side, probably so I didn't meet my Guardians by chance.

My mind was reeling with all the newly acquired information I had on Yevon. On my whole world. The foundation on which Spira was built was wrong. It was all a lie. Every single thing that I had thought truth was false, and now, because I was the only honest Summoner among hundreds of unwitting ones, I had been sentenced to death.

…But then again, from the moment I had become a Summoner I was sentenced to death. It seemed that no matter what happened- if you could defeat Sin, if you couldn't- that one way or another, the life of a Summoner was a tragic one and was sure to end badly. But my life hadn't been a tragic one. Definitely not lately anyway. And… if I did die down here, then my death wouldn't have been too tragic either. Because, I had gotten to see him again, before I died. And he held me close, and carried me from the chamber, like I was some sort of breakable china doll. Like if he squeezed too hard, I would shatter. That's what I loved about him, I think. That he treated me as no one else ever had…

Without noticing, I had walked quite a long way since I had begun my musings, and I stopped and stood for a moment, wondering what would be the most logical thing to do at a time like this.

Suddenly, as if to mock me, three lizard like fiends, sandy yellow like Rikku's hair, snarling mercilessly at me leapt out from the shadows, and I took a deep breath, calming myself. I stood back, and waved my staff in the air, in the intricate patterns that came naturally to me after joining with the Fayth of my new Aeon- Bahamut. The name had called out to me, in the child's voice. The only child Fayth, the child who had been caught up wrongly in Spira's spiral of death. My wrist flew back and forth as I swerved my staff around and around.

I felt the great energy that always possessed me when I Summoned build up within me, like the sun was shining in my heart, and my head span as it was filled with my Aeon's thoughts, the words of the Fayth, whispering, singing. The energy sizzled to the ends of my fingers and tips of my toes, and I shook my hair from my eyes and drew in a deep breath. Luckily, I had changed to my proper Summoner's attire before they had sentenced me here, so it was easier to move than it would have been, had I been in a wedding dress. I heard a thunderous roar from above me and leapt out of the way, as Bahamut pulled off at the very last second, and settled himself into the ground, sending chunks of tile and rock flying at me. He bared his teeth in a smile, and I nodded gratefully.

"Thank you, Bahamut," I breathed and he stepped forth. He was taller than any Aeon I possessed, his fur a deep unsettling blue, darker that Kimahri's even. His teeth were longer than my arm, razor sharp, and sparkling white. His wise midnight blue eyes surveyed the fiend with mocking worry, and his great wings stretched almost as wide as Valefor's, adorned with gold and crimson feathers that swept down so they almost brushed the ground. His ears twitched as he pondered what to do, his tails swishing from side to side with great beats, generating wind great enough to shake me and make me shiver. I was mesmerized by him. I heard the child's voice in my head, telling me Bahamut would use a spell called Impulse, and startle the fiends beyond recognition. He did just that, seconds later, pulling his huge hands into fists, balls of Black magic sizzling around him, and swiping at the fiends, blowing them to pieces in that one hit. I smiled, and dismissed Bahamut, hearing his purr of affection as he went. I loved all of my Aeons, dearly.

I turned the corner, and standing there, looking around nervously was Kimahri.

"Kimahri!" I yelled happily, running to him as quick as I could. I threw my arms on his chest, feeling his warm fur beneath my fingers and he smiled his special teeth baring, Ronso smile at me, before releasing me from the hug and holding me at arm's length, eyes sincere.

"Yuna. Sorry we left you," he apologised, his rumbling voice echoing throughout the long tunnels of the Via Purifico. I smiled happily and nodded.

"It's okay," I assured him. We walked together then, side by side, into the deeper, darker tunnels of the Via Purifico. Myself and Kimahri had just finished walked along the twisting, turning route through the tunnels where we had met, to find Sir Auron standing against the wall, in his plotting mode. Tidus and Rikku often yell at him when he does that, goes deep into himself, but I know that really when he looks like he's about to fall asleep, that's when he's most alert and ready with a plan bubbling in his head.

"There must be an exit somewhere. We search!" he commanded, and pushed himself off the wall with his boot, leading us down another hallway. Kimahri walked behind me, so I was sandwiched between the two, perfectly safe. We bumped into Lulu then. I gasped.

"Lulu! Hi," I stuttered nervously. Lulu laughed, her warm hearted, not chilly as it usually was laugh and caught me in a tight hug.

"It's okay, Yuna… I know," she assured me, smiling gently. I knew I was safe from then on. If we could just find my other three Guardians, and find the exit, then we could flee from Bevelle and I could continue my pilgrimage. It… would all be over then soon, anyway. As long as I kept journeying and I could defeat Sin then I didn't care what happened. We ran down a corridor together, Sir Auron leading and stopped dead when we saw none other than Issaru watching me with disbelieving eyes. He stepped forth, and didn't bow as he should have. But then again, neither did I.

"Lady Yuna," he said slowly. "So it is you." I wondered what he meant by that?

"Why are you here?" I asked, my voice coming out weaker than I had intended. Issaru strolled closer, and my Guardians tensed. He was unarmed. What could he possibly do to harm me?

"We rode the airship to the Calm Lands and then came to Bevelle. Maester Kinoc then summoned us here to deal with the traitors," he spoke coldly, nothing like the Issaru I had first met in Djose. I looked away, ashamed by the word traitor. Was that really what I was classified as now? A traitor? I was so disgracefully shamed that I would be known as perhaps High Summoner Yuna the _Traitor_? Sir Auron stepped forth.

"You will fight us?" he asked calmly. Sir Auron always impresses me when he speaks like that. Even in the face of danger, he is so very calm and collected and he doesn't fret.

"The temple's orders are law!" Issaru spat in reply. "Even if you are Lord Braska's flesh and blood… you are a traitor…" his words were weaker now, and I knew in my heart that he didn't mean what he said. He sighed and looked at me with hurt eyes. "Forgive me, Lady Yuna," he begged. I nodded and stepped forth prepared to Summon. Issaru Summoned Ifrit without hesitation and I sighed, wondering what Aeon would be best to defeat this one. I decided to Summon Bahamut again, and the familiar feeling that surged through was back, as Bahamut landed beside me and raised his mighty head, roaring to intimidate Ifrit. Bahamut opened his mouth and I watched as light frothed and surged within his open jaws. He fought to control it, make it stronger, and when he finally gave in to the power and sent it towards Ifrit, the Aeon crumpled instantly. Issaru was thoroughly taken aback by the strength of my Aeons, and I waited to see if he would take the hint and leave us to continue on, even if it meant betraying the temple. It meant nothing- the temple had betrayed us all enough. He frowned and Summoned Valefor now, his version of my beautiful bird a darker colour, more blue it's eyes turquoise.

"It's not over yet!" he growled. I sighed and glanced at Bahamut, who looked uninterested in Valefor. He leapt forth and swiped at the bird twice, and Valefor moved his wings in a swooping motion, sending a sonic wave to tumble over Bahamut. My Aeon rolled his eyes, and launched forth, swiping at Valefor twice more, before the Aeon fell to the ground and dissipated into a cloud of glittering pyreflies. I dismissed Bahamut, as Issaru Summoned his own version of the beast, and watched me to see which Aeon I would chose to slay his own. For a third and final time. So, this time, I Summoned Shiva, the ice goddess, and it was a cool, clear female voice that rang in my head, as the heartbreakingly beautiful Aeon stepped forth, shaking her locks of icy blue hair from her diamond eyes. She glittered in the red light of the underground torches. Shiva smiled at the other Aeon, and clicked her fingers majestically, sending a blizzard spiralling out of control, ramming Bahamut full on and winding him. She ran up to his side, running her icy fingers across his body, freezing him to the core. He dropped to his knees in agony, as Shiva savoured her victory, Bahamut disappearing in a cloud of dancing pyreflies, just as Issaru's other Aeons had. I dismissed Shiva thankfully, and she winked before leaving. Issaru fell to the floor, and I tried to go to him, Cure him at least. He shook his head, teeth gritted.

"Stay away," he moaned. Lulu rested a hand on my arm.

"Yuna, let's go," she said kindly, pulling me away, so we could keep searching for the exit. Issaru sighed.

"There's a way to the surface up ahead," he told me, and I bowed deeply, smiling in thanks. As we walked away, I heard Sir Auron mutter something to Issaru, but what I'm not sure. I couldn't hear properly.

* * *

"Your pilgrimage is over."

* * *

**Well? How did you guys like that? TWO parts of this chapter from Yunie's POV! Did I write her okay? Please tell me if you didn't like it, because there will definitely be more from Yuna as the story progresses, and I want to fix it, if there's some glaring problem with her characterisation. Thanks! ****I want to say a massive thank you to all of the people who have stuck by me since day one of this story, and left me all the fabulous reviews that just delight me to be in my inbox! I'm aiming for a hundred reviews, so let's get going people! Thank you again.**

**:O GASP! Next chapter is the big one, my friends! The next chapter is THE chapter, when our favourite scene from the entire game will be laid out for all to see. That's right, it's Macalania everybody! :D I've it written already, but I think I'll leave it as a Christmas present for all my dedicated fans! HOORAY! It was awesome to write, but I'm MORTIFIED that I haven't captured it right! Ah, the ever hectic life of a writer. My heart will go on, rest assured. :) Also, if anybody cares, I got a VINCENT VALENTINE plushie. He is seriously the coolest thing since sliced bread, and I hug him tight. I LOVE LOVE LOVE him :)**

**Anything else...? Oh yes! If you lovley reviewers and readers out there like to write Final Fantasy couples, and I mean ANY couple from the Final Fantasy franchise- then please visit my Livejournal community- Final Fantasy Couples. (I know, the name's a stroke of geius ;) The link is on my profile. We need some more awesome members, so please join! And tell people! Yeah, do that too! :) Okay, so I'm going to stop talking now, and let you guys review. Thank you very much! I love you all! :)**

**~ LizMiz**


	20. The Spring

**The song for this chapter was, of course, Suteki Da Ne, the theme of our beloved scene. Please listen as I attempt to do the visually breathtaking scene some justice with my less than impressive writing ;) Thanks**

* * *

**The Spring.**

_**Tidus**_

We had swam for what felt like hours. Myself, Wakka and Rikku, refusing to relent and let the now chilly waters take us, kept powering on, strong swipes of our arms propelling us through the water, until we came to a great, underwater arena, where we stopped, to watch light surge from the ground. Up from what seemed to be no where to us at first, came a beast that was not unlike Evrae in the shape of it's twisting, slimy body, or the gnashing 5 metre length fangs the protruded from it's rubbery pink lips. This one didn't have wings and I guessed that was the only difference it had from Evrae. It also had a great, black horn the spiked out from the top of it's head, sharper than any blade I had ever laid eyes on in my life. I gulped and jerked my head round at Rikku. She was looking at a gigantic door I hadn't noticed at first, but it was locked. I'll bet she could crack it though, knowing Rikku who was handy with all that sort of stuff. She pointed at it and swam down, indicating me and Wakka should hold the big zombie Evrae off while she picked the lock. She pulled a hair pin from her head, and realised it was too small, so she stuck her arm in instead, the sharp dagger blades on her knuckles helping her along.

I glanced up. Hmm… it this thing was a zombie… then a potion designed to bring Life back to the user would surely do some damage to the undead right? I swam quickly over to Rikku and dug around in the pockets of her shorts. She squeaked when I fumbled around in her back ones, and I blushed. I had not intentionally been groping at Rikku's butt, but the potion was really far down there! I threw the Phoenix Down at the zombie, and it screeched it pain as it stained it's eyes and burnt it's flesh. I threw a Phoenix Down to Wakka, who caught it and did the same as I had, chucking it at the beast full on, and watching as it writhed and twisted in agony, the smell of burning insides reeking up the tight little area we were trapped in. Pyreflies whispered along it's dead body, parts of it dissipating away with the dancing lights as they carried parts of the soul to the Farplane. Rikku had successfully unlocked the door, and we swam on through, seeing light streaming from a hole not far off. That seemed to give us all the burst of energy we needed, and we swam as fast as we could to get there, throwing ourselves out of the water when we reached the surface. We coughed and spluttered, taking in great a lungful of sweet air, as we had held our breaths for so long. My hair was plastered to my face and Rikku wrung hers out for a moment, before her eyes widened, and her cheeks should have split in two from the smile she was beaming behind me. I turned, wondering what could be making her smile so much. The very same thing made me smile too.

"YUNIE!" she screeched, throwing her sopping wet little body atop of Yuna's perfectly dry and neat one. Yuna didn't seem to care though, as she put her arms round Rikku's back in equally as fierce an embrace. "You're alright? Ooh, we were so worried! It's good to have you back!" she squealed delightedly. I wanted to rip Rikku from Yuna and launch myself on her in just as much of an astounding hug, tell her how much I missed her, how much I didn't want to be apart. I was about to do just that, when the sound of footsteps from behind us aroused my attention, and I turned to see Seymour marching forth, Kinoc at his side and a whole fleet of armed guards behind the two of them. I swore. Didn't these guys ever freakin' quit?! We moved into a protective circle around Yuna, and I noticed that Kinoc's eyes were rolling in his head, and his mouth hung open. The guard behind Seymour pulled his hand away from Kinoc's robe, and his dead body fell with a thump to the cold, granite mosaic that sprawled across the ground at our feet. So, Seymour was killing the current Maesters of Yevon now, too, was he?

"Kinoc," Auron said, his voice serious. I scowled and threw my most hate filled expression at Seymour, while still backing closer to Yuna in the protective circle. I simply refused to let her be taken away from me again. It wasn't going to happen. I shook my head in disgust at Seymour.

"Why you…-" I snarled, not being able to think of a derogatory slur that was bad enough to bestow upon this bastard. He smiled that smooth smile that I despised, his long claws brushing together as he rested his overly long arms at his sides.

"I saved him," he chuckled coldly. "He was a man who craved great power. And great power he had. But, he feared losing it. Trembling at Unsent enemies, he spent his days scheming petty schemes. Chased by his fears, never having rest. You see, now he has no worries. He has been granted sleep eternal. Death is a sweet slumber. All the pain of life is gently swept away… ah… yes. So you see, if all life were to end in Spira, then all suffering would end. Don't you see? Do you not agree? That Yuna is why I need you." He raised an arm out to her, and I felt her fist clench at my side. Her face remained carefully expressionless, like she refused to give him to satisfaction of knowing he pissed her off. He was speaking again, his tone snide and slick. "Come with me to Zanarkand. The lost city of the dead. With death on our side, we will save Spira, and for this, I will take from you your life, Yuna, your strength and become the next Sin! I will destroy Spira! I will save it!" he hissed, his eyes flashing. I raised my eyebrows in shock. This guy was completely and utterly insane. Off his rocker. Out of his ever loving mind!

"You're totally _nuts_!" I yelled at him, ignoring the snarl of anger that ripped from his lips. The true Guado in him was starting to show. Kimahri drew his spear and ran forth, swiping it without thought at Seymour and his guards. It hit them in one swoop, and their knees buckled as their blood seeped onto the floor, staining the end of Kimahri's spear. Seymour's lips curled in distaste at Kimahri, like a Guado was better than a Ronso. Like he was some sort of superior species, like Kimahri wasn't worth wasting his energy fighting. He held the spear at Seymour's chest. Seymour smiled evilly.

"Unpleasant. Very well, I will give you your death. You seem to want it so," he drawled. He pulled his short, red and blue staff from the midst of his huge, billowing blue robes, and held it to the sky, darkness enshrouding it, making the air around us crackle and fizz with power. He screeched in pain, as something happened to his body. It elongated, his robes becoming one with his skin, and then turning to crystal, shimmering like the frozen ice that Shiva survived in, his eyes becoming pupil-less, lifeless. A huge symbol, made of the same crystal protruded from his back, spanning out wider than him, holding him aloft in the air as he surveyed Kimahri with wide eyes. Kimahri turned to me, his eyes intense.

"GO! Save Yuna!" he commanded, turning back to Seymour to hit the Guado Maester once more. I shook my head, and Auron unsheathed his sword holding it out.

"Go," he ordered me. Was he for real? Just run off like a coward and leave Kimahri to die? I shook my head.

"No! I'm fighting!" I yelled back. Auron rested the blade of his sword on my shoulder and his eyes flashed warningly from behind his glasses.

"I said go!" Auron grabbed Yuna's hand and we sprinted past Seymour as Kimahri began duelling him. We all ran as fast as we could down the main walk way of Bevelle, the water dancing below us as we sprinted, and we were nearly at the end, when Yuna wrenched her hand from Auron's grasp and shook her head, anger sparkling in her stunning eyes.

"No! I won't leave Kimahri behind!" she screamed angrily, refusing to let one of her closest friends die. Kimahri had stayed with her all this time, and hadn't abandoned her, and now, because Auron said so, she had to leave him to his death? I agreed with her- too many people died in the never ending spiral of death that was Spira. If I had anything to say about it, Kimahri wouldn't have to die. And neither would Yuna.

"He's a Guardian! Protecting you is everything!" he yelled at her, trying to make her see reason. Yuna shook her head, her fists tight.

"Auron!" she begged, and that was the first time I'd ever heard her leave the 'sir' out of his name. I suddenly smiled and nodded my head. We were all Yuna's Guardians. Why leave the entire job to Kimahri right?

"That's right! We are Guardians!" I chimed. I walked to Yuna and looked at her eyes alert. "And you know what that means? Anywhere you go, I'll follow," I promised her. Her eyes danced in delight and she came closer to me, hand on her heart, smile sincere.

"Anywhere?" she breathed. I nodded.

"Yeah, anywhere." She smiled broadly.

"Well then…"

"LET'S GO!" We called out in unison, before laughing loudly. I snatched her hand and pulled her alongside me, yelling to Kimahri. "Hey, Kimahri leave some for us!" The rest followed close behind us, all of us staying together not being separated again after all the experience we had served not being together. It seemed Auron was as eager to aid Kimahri in his destruction of Seymour. We leapt into battle formation and Seymour Natus smirked at me, as I unsheathed my sword and prepared to whack him. Seymour cast Multi-Blizzara on us, and I shivered as it caught me. He then cast Petrify on Auron, who was instantly frozen and seemed to be made on cold, lifeless stone. Yuna cast Esuna on him, her soft words and gentle motions making the Petrifaction melt away, leaving Auron good as new. He ran forth and swiped at the great claw that hung over Seymour, ready to swipe at us, and just when we thought we had killed it, Seymour gave it Life again. I tried to kill it this time, but again, Seymour merely pumped White Magic into it, restoring it's strength. Lulu grew bored of this game, and with a flick of the wrists and a few haunting words, her moogle moved it's arms with her own, in sync, casting Firaga onto the claw. However, the claw somehow managed to cling on when Seymour gave it more Life. I hit it again, and Seymour continued to pump it full of White Magic. Rikku used one of her newly mixed Al Bhed potions on all of us, and I felt the rejuvenating strength given by the alchemist's potion swish through me. I smiled. Rikku then ran forth and Stole something from Seymour, two Tetra Elementals. She really did know how to use her fingers to get what she wanted.

I ran forth and swiped at the claw, Seymour giving it power again, wearing his own strength down as he gave it away to the claw. He then Petrified Rikku, so she seemed to be made of marble, still and cold. Wakka ran forth and Lulu pulled back, Wakka giving Rikku a Soft potion, so the affects of Seymour's spell wore away with one easy slug of the opal coloured liquid. I took my opportunity then to smash my blade into Seymour's claw again, and Rikku pulled away, letting Kimahri switch places with her in the front lines. Kimahri rammed into Seymour with his spear and he snarled after taking the beating. Lulu cast Firaga, but Seymour's reflect spell hit it back at her, and she collapsed, weakened by her own curse. Yuna cast Life easily, and Lulu stood, strength restored, angry she'd fallen for that one. I ran ahead, and one last time brought my sword tumbling down on Seymour.

He shuddered and vibrated, darkness eating away at him, pyreflies devouring him greedily, ready to pull his ungrateful soul to the Farplane, far away from where he could hurt Yuna again.

We managed to escape with our skins intact, but I could tell Yuna lost something. Her faith was shaken. Yevon had betrayed her. I felt like I should do, or say something, anything- but… nothing came. I was just as lost as she was. And then…

* * *

Macalania was as beautiful as I remembered. The crystal plants still stood tall, the sparkling butterflies still intact, their wings whispering to me in a language I couldn't comprehend. We had fled from Bevelle, back to Macalania forest and we were resting not far from where I had found my father's sphere. I glanced around the group after sitting with my eyes closed for what felt like hours just thinking, and noticed Yuna wasn't there. Auron stepped forth. Wakka looked up hopefully, his baby blue eyes lost.

"Well?" he asked Auron, who had been to check if Bevelle had somehow traced our steps and knew we were in Macalania. We had tried to throw them off track, by calling Cid and getting him to hover over the palace for a while. Mika was the only one left now, who had really betrayed all of us. Auron nodded.

"We're all clear." Each of us let out a breath we didn't know we'd been holding, and Auron nodded grimly. "We shall have to steer clear of Bevelle in the future… Yuna?" he looked around and upon not seeing her paled a little. But Kimahri wasn't there either, so I knew she was protected. Rikku shrugged and sighed, slumping back against the thick trunk of a Macalanian willow, the light coloured leaves brushing the forest floor at her feet. She plucked a bud off and twirled it in her nimble fingers.

"Said she wanted to be alone," she said softly. I stood, and without a word to any of them made my way away from camp and into the woods, to try and find Yuna. She wouldn't have ventured too far off without us all, and the small spring that Auron had shown us was directly ahead of camp. So, I figured I should look there first. Sure enough, as I pushed my way through the curtains of leaves from the trees and crystal vines, I saw Kimahri, standing watchfully, gazing at the spring carefully.

The beauty of it made my breath catch. The moon was a crescent, honey gold against the startling purple backdrop of the Macalanian eternal dark sky. The stars swam, as the river of butterflies and the remnants of the crystal plants floated through the sky making the air seem weightless, majestic. The butterflies whispered still, the brush of their wings sending shivers down my spine, the fluttering all around the clear spring glowing. Yuna stood in the centre, head bent, looking away from me.

However, she knew I was there, watching her from the bank, considering what I would do next.

"I always thought this would be easier somehow. I thought that everyone would help me… with all my friends together, beside me," she breathed, her voice soft, vulnerable. "I've been trying so _hard_." Her voice rose at the end of that sentence, and she shut her mouth quickly, taking ragged breaths. I bit my lip, and took a step into the cool water. I went further, wading into the depths of the spring.

"Maybe… you're trying too hard?" I tested to see what her reaction would be. She didn't look up, didn't move, the only motion the breeze getting caught in her hair and making it tickle her face. I sighed and stopped walking, sorrow building up inside me. I had to tell her I knew. I had to let her know she wasn't alone, that I was so sorry for everything I'd said. "They told me. …Everything…" She did react to that, turning to look at me, her beauty making my breath catch in the back of my throat. She raised her right eyebrow slightly, and her lips moved only very gently, as she whispered the word.

"Everything?"

"Everything." I nodded, and she nodded and a little awkward silence passed between us, before she sighed and closed her eyes against the breeze as it danced around her face.

"So then… now. You know?" her voice was barely a whisper, quiet, weak. She had really been shaken today, everything she had ever believed in being tugged from beneath her feet, her whole world had been stirred around until it felt like a whirlpool of sorrow. The spiral of death lived up to it's name, as Yuna's faith, the only thing keeping her going along this dark and treacherous road died. I nodded, and all of the apologies I had planned, all of the speeches I had performed in my head evaporated, and I was left on my own with Yuna, in the silence, the only sound the tinkling of silver wings.

"Yeah. I'm… sorry," I murmured. Yuna opened her eyes, and inclined her head a little towards me again, running her fingers through the rippling waters absently, like it was silk, smooth. She looked at me full on now, her body turning to face mine, her eyes dark with her own pain, suffering. I sighed. "It's just… all those things I said like… let's go get Sin! An- or about Zanarkand? I just… I didn't know what would happen to you Yuna! I guess… I hope… I didn't make you…sad. Forgive me…?" I finished softly. Because if I had made her sad I would hate myself forever. She shook her head a little and turned it away from me, gazing at the moon and the stars again. Her lips played a soft smile, and my heart fluttered wildly.

"I wasn't sad… I was happy," she promised, her voice sincere, and a little stronger. Her eyes brightened a little, and a weight lifted from my shoulders. Thank Spira… I hadn't made her sad… but what did she mean when she said she was… happy? My mind was spinning, so I decided to calm down in the best way I knew how. Go swimming. I took a deep breath and lowered myself under the water, the clear liquid submerging the last of my blonde hair in it's mysterious glow. Yuna glanced around to see where I had disappeared to, but by that time, I had already swam a little ways away and popped up, so I was floating on my back. She tilted her head to one side, watching me, that small smile still on her pretty face. I frowned, and told her my thoughts on what she could do to stop herself dying, to stop all the pain.

"Yuna! Just… don't do it," I suggested, my voice echoing around the small enclosure we were secluded by in the spring. My voice echoed, repeating my idea over and over again, so Yuna could attempt to make sense of it. She knotted her brows together a little.

"The pilgrimage?" I stood up in the water and nodded my head, seriously.

"Uh… yeah. Forget all about Sin, about being a Summoner. Forget all that! Y'know… live a normal life!" Just the sound of it, even coming from my own lips made my heart swell in joy, in happiness. Yuna, staying alive, alive and with me. All of us, staying together and never having to die for other people. "C'mon now Yuna, what do you say?" I asked.

I didn't honestly expect her to answer as soon as she did though. She put a finger to her lips, and thought a moment, the ring on her littlest finger sparkling. She raised her eyes to look into my own, a spark of light setting them alight with hope, just like my own.

"Maybe… I will," she said louder than before. I swam up to her, and my head whirred. Had she really just said that? Even if it was a maybe, that maybe could be the difference between happiness and the difference between death for the both of us! "Wouldn't everyone be surprised?" she spoke again, her smile wider now as she thought of it. I laughed a little, and nodded, trying not to make her too wet with my shaggy hair.

"Yeah… Except Rikku. She'd be with you… Lulu and Wakka wouldn't hold out long," I said happily, not bothering to add in that I would be over the moon if she chose to stay with me- sorry, all of us. Yuna nodded her head in thought slightly.

"Kimahri would say yes too, I know… But Sir Auron…" she trailed away, looking troubled again. There was no way in HELL I was going to let Auron be the source of her discomfort, Auron be the only reason she didn't quit, for fear of his disapproval. I shook my head and smiled, drawing her smile back onto her face with my own comforting one.

"I'll make him understand Yuna! It's the least I can do for you," I promised. She shook her head and smiled lightly as she thought of it. Being free, not weighed down by pilgrimages and Sin, and thousands of people's hope.

"No… I should tell him. He deserves it." She walked away from me then, though the water, over to the deepest part of the spring near the sphere tree, and lay down flat on the water, so she floated along, her hair fanning out behind her, her already wet dress becoming wetter. "What'll I do if I give up my pilgrimage?" she asked me carefully, like she'd never even considered what could have happened, what she could have done had she not dedicated her life to destroying Sin. I thought, and then an idea struck me. I could get Yuna out of this pilgrimage, and then she could help me find a way back to Zanarkand, and I could take her there! And we could be together there, and I would bring her to all my games and all the girls in Zanarkand would despise her for being beautiful, and pure and just wonderful in general. Plus, she would get all my attention.

"Zanarkand, we could go to Zanarkand! Not the one in Spira, the one I'm from!" I chimed. Yuna smiled sweetly and laughed softly as she thought of it. "Yeah… everyone can go! We can all fly there! And then… we'll have a big party at my place!" I grinned. Yuna suddenly stopped floating, and almost ran through the water so she was closer to me, her eyes on fire with joy and hope, her smile broad and lovely, her skin sparkling, covered in crystal clear drops of the purest water.

"And we could see Blitzball?" she asked breathlessly. I nodded grinning. I walked closer, and so did she. "Your Zanarkand Abes would play?! And we could all go to the stadium, all lit up at night?! I'd cheer and cheer until I couldn't cheer anymore!" she said happily, her smile practically lighting up the spring on it's own, heartbreaking, breath-taking. I nodded and smiled widely.

"Yeah! Right on!" I cheered. Her smile faltered a little and she wondered aloud.

"But what would we do after the game?" she asked, unsure. I thought it over and then I grinned.

"We'd go out and have fun!" I said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Yuna's eyes widened at the prospect and her smile grew even bigger, if that was possible.

"In the middle of the night?" she asked me, disbelievingly.

"No problem! Zanarkand never sleeps!" I told her, grinning hugely. I then thought of my favourite place in Zanarkand, not my apartment, not the Blitz stadium, not the bars or clubs. But the place where I thought the most beautiful place in the universe resided, before I'd seen Spira. Still, it was definitely worth it, if I could see it with Yuna. "Let's go to the sea, before the sunrise… The city lights go out one by one… the stars fade… then the horizon glows, almost like it's on fire! It's kind of… rose coloured, right?" I felt Yuna move so she was behind me. "First in the sea, then it spreads to the sky, then the whole city. It gets brighter and brighter, 'til everything glows! It's really…" I searched for a word, and thought back to when me and Yuna had shared a similar sunset instead of sunrise on the Mi'ihen Highroad. What had she said? I smiled, and tilted my head a little. "…Pretty. I know you'd like it," I murmured. Yuna made a little noise of agreement from behind me.

"I'd like to see it… someday," she said softly, her words wobbly, her voice on the verge of cracking. I turned to her, eyes sincere, voice gentle as I came a little closer.

"Well you can, Yuna. We can both go," I whispered.

Her tear rippled in tiny circles across the water, that tiny drop seeming like the world was falling down. Yuna was… crying. Not letting the dead use her as their weeping point as they did after the Sending- this was Yuna crying. Her own tears, her own sorrow making it too hard to go on, making her cry like there was nothing left that was right in the world. Her crystalline tears ran in little rivulets down her snow white, silken smooth skin.

"I can't," she breathed, her pain falling with the tears. They came thick and fast now. "I just can't… I can't go!" Her sobs were soft and light, but still there all the same, the tears mingling with the droplets of spring water that lay across her. I came closer to her, my heart beating a mile a minute.

I knew what I had to do. It might be awkward, it might be weird, but Yuna needed me, and the only way I could help her right now was through this. Her hands tried to wipe the tears from my view, but they escaped past her searching fingertips and I caught one on the tip of my glove.

"Yuna," I breathed, coming even closer. I placed both of my hands on the tops of her shoulders, holding her still. She raised her head when I did that, her eyes sparkling with hundreds of unshed tears that had been begging to escape throughout this entire journey, their mismatching colours reminding me of the first time we met. I first laid eyes on her in that temple in Besaid, sleep deprived and weak from three days solid of praying. But her eyes had shone and she had gazed into mine, the light from the torches reflecting off the blue one as clear as the sun had hit the glistening waves of Besaid, and the green one glittered, hypnotising me with their mysterious qualities as she smiled, her rosy lips sliding into the perfect smile that would shake me to my very core from that moment forward. I had wanted her since then. Wanted to call her my own. But… now that I think about it, I probably loved her since then too. It was only in Guadosalam I had realised that I treasured her far more than any sword or platinum necklace or game. Yuna was my one and only treasure. And I would fight to save her from anything. Even, in this case; herself.

Her tears subsided a little as I gazed at her with electric blue eyes. I smiled a little, asking permission with my eyes, with that smile. She blinked, and another tear fell. I slid my hands down from her shoulders to rest on either side of her arms, and my head fell lower to match her smaller height. She didn't move, she didn't breathe. I tilted my head to the side, and my lips touched hers for the very first time.

They were as soft as I had imagined. I could almost taste the rosy hue of them as I moved my lips gently against her own, taking all her troubles away. Her eyes slid to a close, a final tear rolling down her cheek, as I adjusted my face a little. The butterflies rejoiced around us, singing their joy with their wings, dancing to the sky, bathing us in their unearthly glow. My arms tightened around her white shoulders, never wanting this moment to end, never wanting to let her slip through my fingers again as she had done so many times these past few days. Never again, I vowed at that moment. Never again.

I felt her bring her hands up and slide them around my waist too, soft and clinging, like she too didn't want to let go. I slid my tongue along her bottom lip, teasing it, not wanting to rush her, but wanting more than anything to taste her, to confirm that my dreams on what her essence would be like were true. She hesitantly opened her mouth, but I let her take as long as she needed. I felt her breath sweep into my own, and her tongue dart out experimentally to meet my own. She slid deeper into me, enjoying this just as much as I did, and I wanted to melt into her. She tasted like spring time, and raindrops on tulips and sunshine. Our lips moved in sync with each other, her soft ones moving gently, but eagerly, our tongues dancing back and forth, our actions making the other shiver.

And then we were submerged.

I don't think either of us noticed when we tilted to the one side, and ended up falling into the crystal waters of the spring. She kept her hands fixed firmly around my chest, and I held her waist, pushing her closer to my body as the gentle waves threatened to tear us apart. No force would tear us apart, I wouldn't allow it. Our lips didn't break as we went deeper, sliding through the water, not a care in the world, the only thing I could truly feel, the beat of her heart against my own chest, and the satin of her skin, just as I had dreamed. She tilted back in the water, still keeping our lips together, our tastes mingling, and I caught her round the back with my arm. She was weightless as ever, and her hand captured my own, twisting around until our fingers intertwined. She broke away from my lips, to just gaze at me with such love and adoration I almost cried. Her smile was sweet and soft and she lay her head against my shoulder, her hair swirling around her head, the shimmering water making her glitter.

The water pulled her away from my shoulder, but I took her other hand, and watched from above her, seeing her face upside down, but still stunningly beautiful. I didn't break her gaze, as I broke the fierce entwining of our fingers, and felt her fragile hand inside my own strong one. She smiled widely at me, and then straightened herself up, so she rested straight in front of me, slightly higher up in the water. I took my hand, and ran it along her cheekbone, feeling the smooth texture, watching as her beautiful eyes shut in content as she melted into my touch. I held her back with my other hand, as she reached out slowly to run her own fingers across my cheek and into my hair. This time, it was Yuna who kissed me, and she leaned forth, her face a mask of utter happiness, and pressed her lips against my own, prying my mouth open herself and letting me indulge in her once more. I held her tight. She didn't let go of me either, even when our lips broke contact, our foreheads pressed together, the swell of her chest pushing into my own chest, as I gazed into her mismatching eyes.

The eyes that had started everything.

* * *

We were on the bank of the spring, resting below a great willow, leaning against the trunk, her head on my shoulder, hand locked in mine. She nuzzled in a little closer and I breathed in her scent. The same as her taste, all the colours of the rainbow possessed by one girl.

"I'll continue," she breathed. "I must." I didn't speak, so she could continue. I knew she had something else to say by the tone she was using. "If I give up now, I could do anything I wanted to. And yet…" she turned her head to gaze at me, thinking. I turned to look at her too. Her smile was soft and meaningful. "Even if I was with you, I could never forget." I nodded understanding this. She looked away, seeming like she thought she had disappointed me. I squeezed her hand.

"I'll go with you," I said surely. Her eyes brightened, and she tilted her head to one side slightly. "I'm your Guardian! Unless I'm_… fired_," I joked, making her giggle. … I wondered if Summoner and Guardian could… be in love… I guess Yunalesca and Zaon were so, why not me and Yuna? I smiled brightly at her.

"Stay with me? Until the end? … Please," she added, embarrassedly, looking away from me. I pulled her head back round with my first too fingers so she was gazing at me again.

"Not until the end," I said softly. Her brows knotted in confusion. I smiled. "Always."

She nodded and leant her head back against my shoulder once more, her baby finger moving back and forth gently brushing my hand with the lightest of touches.

"Always then…" she breathed.

We were almost dry soon after that, and the rest of the guys must have been getting worried about us, so Yuna pulled her hand away and sighed.

"You should go back to camp first," she said. I nodded, winking. She wanted to be sneaky, have a whole secret romance thing going on? I think that was probably the best idea.

"Roger!" I laughed and stood, brushing myself off before heading away from her and back towards the camp. I was staring at the stars, thinking about how insignificant they seemed compared to my beautiful Yuna when I heard it. A sharp, sweet, clear, oh so lovely whistle. I turned and sprinted back to where Yuna stood, laughing softly. She smiled at me and took a deep breath.

"Wait… I'll go with you," she said quietly. I smiled happily and nodded, turning around and starting to walk back towards the camp. I heard Yuna take two careful, deliberately slow steps forwards before rushing up next to me and sliding her hand into my own in one easy move. I stopped and looked down at her happy smile, her dancing eyes and kissed her forehead, before walking with her hand in hand back through the forest to our awaiting friends. My heart seemed to be swollen I was so wonderfully overjoyed. When we arrived back at camp, I dropped her hand, and she blushed happily as all of our friends stared, Rikku a knowing glint in her green eyes, Lulu a smug expression, Wakka confused, Auron sure and Kimahri doing his Ronso smile, teeth bared at Yuna in a happy smile. She bowed her head to him.

"Lulu? Rikku? Wakka? Kimahri? Sir Auron? …Tidus?" she turned to me, eyes gleaming and I smiled. "Tomorrow we leave at dawn. So, get a good nights sleep, okay?" I nodded, trying to hide the shy smile that lurked beneath my skin, and Rikku's emerald gaze narrowed as she watched us say goodnights with our eyes.

* * *

That night was probably the most peaceful one that I had slept in Spira. My dreams were barren of fiends, Seymour, Sin, my father- all I could see, feel was Yuna and Macalania Spring, which I had decided incidentally that it was my favourite place in all of Spira, without a shadow of a doubt. The next morning, the eternal dusk of Macalania was soothing as I opened my eyes and stretched, the faint sun bleeding it's way through the high canopy of trees hitting the bunches of crystals that scattered themselves across the expanse of the Macalania Woods.

We left quickly, and quietly without any discussion, getting too close to the final destination to begin to worry about breakfast. I was too involved now to do my usual moaning and groaning about breakfast. As I trailed along at the rear end of the group as usual, Yuna walked alongside me, her hand gently clasped within my own. Rikku was being untactful as usual, and kept asking us awkward questions about the night before, but I ignored her. Nothing could ruin what had happened between me and Yuna then. Absolutely nothing.

Well, except for the fact that she was destined to lose her life to save Spira. The thought panged within me, and my hand clutched tighter to her own, causing her brows to furrow and her to tilt her head up towards me, the breeze brushing her soft brown hair away from her dazzling eyes.

"…Tidus?" she questioned quietly, enough so that even Rikku who had been eavesdropping all morning couldn't even hear. I shook my head, my smile slightly applied, but it was hard not to smile when she was around. I forgot about Rikku momentarily, and leant do to press my lips against Yuna's forehead, causing her to blush a terrific red. I heard a huge squeal of delight.

"I TOLD YOU, YOU GUYS, I TOLD YOU! I JUST SAW IT WITH MY OWN TWO EYES!" Rikku screeched, darting up to the front of the group, and poking Auron harshly in the middle of the chest, her smile beaming, her eyes huge. Yuna laughed lightly at her cousin, and Lulu snatched Rikku's hand, pulling her down from her elated mood.

"That's quite enough of that. It's none of your business, Rikku," she snapped, trying not to turn around to catch a glimpse herself. Wakka tried to angle his head so he could peek, but Kimahri blocked the way with his huge, hulking figure, assuring us privacy. Good old Kimahri. We walked for a moment longer, before climbing a huge grassy slope, that overlooked the Calm Lands, so named for it's wide expanses of green, windswept patches of poppies and daisies and cloudless skies. However, I did see quite a few dangerous fiends roaming from where we stood, and Mount Gagazet looming not to far away from where we were, all jagged grey points and snowy peaks. I gulped.

"The Calm Lands," Lulu said wisely. "Long ago, the High Summoners fought Sin here. The road ends here. Beyond, there are no towns, no villages. Only endless plains." Auron nodded his head and sighed.

"Many Summoners stray from their paths here," he said quietly, his good eye darting towards Yuna momentarily before sweeping back over the grand plains of the Calm Lands. Yuna stood at my side, and when I glanced at her, her head was tilted back, and her eyes were cloudy, far away as she lost herself in an endless stream of thought. I squeezed her hand, but she lightly pulled away, before dropping down onto her back in one swoop. She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the Calm Lands, the last stop before her journey's end, her eyes sliding shut as she relaxed against the sweet, green grass. Her brow creased as she pondered.

"I've always known where to go," she stated simply, her voice echoing slightly.

She was thinking about the Final Summoning. My heart sank. I didn't want Yuna to be unhappy for the rest of this. I wanted her to be as cheerful as when she was pretending… I recalled my promise to Cid, and my hand balled into a fist at my side. I wouldn't betray him. I'd do what I said I would, and I would do so happily. Because then I could have Yuna. No way was I going to let her…

I stuck out my hand, and watched as she opened her eyes to see me, a small smile dancing it's way across her lips.

"I…" I began, not really wanting to put my thoughts into words at this point. I sighed and gazed at her as sincerely as I possibly could, urging her to believe me. "I won't let you die. No way. I'll… I'll find a way," I swore. She blinked in a confused sort of way, before smiling and allowing me to tug her to her feet. She stumbled a little at the sudden change, and I caught her tight, wrapping my arms around her securely, and promising again, my breath tickling her ear. "I'll find a way."

She nodded and pulled away, her smile happy and alive. She gestured to the rest of her Guardians to follow, and began the slow descent down the grassy bank into the main area of the Calm Lands. I sighed.

I told Yuna, I'll find a way. I guess I wanted to believe that words could make it come true.

* * *

***bursts into tears* Was it okay?! God, I haven't played the game in DONKEYS, and I had forgotten about the PURE SWEETNESS in that scene that made me cry the first time I saw it! Did you guys like it? Hate it? Wish it was more ...??? PLEASE let me know! I crave feedback LOL. **

**Consider this my Christmas Gift to all my dedicated readers. I've been working on my Christmas present for my LJ community (making icons is hard!) ((OH! Check out my comm too! Link's on my profile ;D) and I thought I'd fulfil my promise to you guys and put this up. It's a lot shorter than some of my more recent ones, but I wanted to give big focus to this one beloved spring scene, and I HOPE it didn't seem insignificant. :D **

**So, yeah. LOVED writing this. It was awesome. I wrote this like... three months ago though LOL. The next chapter will definitely not be out until New Year, unless I get like a MASSIVE wave of inspiration any time soon. I regret to say, I have become rather obsessed with Final Fantasies XII and VII as of late - :P So thanks for reading you guys! Please review, and let me know how I did! :D**


	21. Mount Gagazet

**Mount Gagazet. **

* * *

_**Tidus**_

One thing I learned from that day- the Calm Lands are huge! I mean, I thought that Spira- from the map Lulu had- wasn't that big, but after travelling all this way, and meeting new people and seeing new places- I realised that it was way larger than I could have ever imagined. The rolling fields of green seemed endless from where I stood, preparing to continue on into the Calm Lands, and just beyond loomed the peaks of Mount Gagazet, freezing climate a whole different world from the pleasant breeze and warming sun that I was experiencing now. I guessed it would be nice for Kimahri to get back home though. Looking after Yuna had meant he hadn't visited the Ronso in ages, so he was probably looking forward to it. On the other hand, I don't know how anybody could have been exactly… _cheery_, towards the end of this pilgrimage, how they could be excited at the prospect of getting home and saving the world. Because we were almost there.

We were almost at Zanarkand.

And I still hadn't thought of anything that could save Yuna. Myself and Rikku had started plotting on the Al Bhed airship when Cid and Brother were piloting towards Bevelle the other day. She said the Al Bhed had been trying to save Summoners for centuries, but none had succeeded- then again, there wasn't an Al Bhed known to man that had ever been a Guardian to a Summoner, so there must have been something they didn't know, some flaw in the plan that could maybe save Yuna. That's what I was hoping. That's what Rikku said might be the case.

The Calm Lands wasn't too fiend ridden, although we did experience a few nasty ones before we'd even got halfway across. There were dogs, well, canines that had poisonous jaws, and one had managed to clamp down on Lulu's arm before Wakka had a chance to ram his ball into its nose, and Kimahri could swipe his spear clean through its middle, causing it to dissipate into multi-coloured pyreflies. Lulu's arm wasn't seeping blood, but a strange green liquid instead. It had looked gross, but after Yuna had cast a powerful Esuna spell, the poison was removed, and all Lulu had to do was wipe the greenly paste off her arm, her nose wrinkling in distaste, her ruby coloured eyes focused. I glanced around the other Guardians, and noticed they all had relatively serious expressions on their faces too. Steeling themselves for Zanarkand, I guessed, wondering absently if I should be all serious too… I decided against it, as I was the only one at the minute who seemed to keep Yuna smiling, as I found out soon after the fiend encounter.

I pulled back from the rest of the group, and fell into step with Yuna, who smiled happily at my presence, and blushed a little when I slipped my had into hers. She was the first to break the peaceful silence.

"Are you nervous?" she asked quietly. I shrugged.

"I don't really have anything to be nervous about- we're going to get up there, we're going to beat Sin, and then you and me are going back to Besaid to sunbathe. And I'll teach you how to Blitz. Promise," I said, grinning at her. She chuckled softly.

"I'm not very good at sports…" she trailed away, her eyes truthful as always. I laughed heartily, and squeezed her hand lightly.

"Don't worry- I'm the best teacher I know. I'll bet you had Wakka trying to teach you at some stage, huh?" I joked. Yuna laughed a little before stopping herself.

"That's not very nice! Chappu taught me… for a little while," she amended, thinking back, her eyes lighting up as she remembered her childhood days in Besaid with her foster siblings. I smiled.

"He any good?"

"Mm. He could have been world famous. Lots of people said that about him. That's why Lulu liked him so much…" she explained dreamily. I nodded and just let the time slowly slip by as me and Yuna walked, the grass dancing at our feet, the path we were travelling so very similar to the one thousands of Summoners and would be High Summoners had travelled before us. I wondered if they had ever been this content with their lives. Suddenly, Yuna laid her head on my shoulder, and when she spoke, her words were whispered, so soft that it was lucky the gentle breeze carried them to my ears.

"Tidus? You shouldn't promise things that might not come true…"

I stopped walking then, and turned to her, her face a deep red from speaking her mind for once, her eyes downcast, almost ashamed. I panicked, not wanting Yuna to be sad, or upset in any way, so I placed both my hands on either side of her delicate white shoulders, and bowed my head so my lips were right beside her ear.

"I'm not. I promised Cid you wouldn't have to die. I promised you, I promised the guys, and I promised myself. I can't break my promise to that many people Yuna. I'm not going back on my word- and you're coming back with me to Besaid. I'm not leaving you in Zanarkand. Remember what I told you in Luca?"

Yuna raised her eyes to my face and I pulled away a little, as a smile tugged on the corner of her lips.

"Just whistle. You said, if ever we get separated, just whistle."

I nodded, leaning my forehead against her own.

"Because I'll come running," I said, leaning in towards her and ghosting against her lips with my own. I would have kissed her for longer, but Rikku yelled some inappropriate stuff in Al Bhed and I had to come and help her beat a fiend off. Yuna giggled and cast Protect on us, to ensure that we were safe.

We travelled endlessly through the Calm Lands, or so it seemed, until we came to the looming shadow of Mount Gagazet. My breath caught.

It was big.

Kimahri had described it briefly one freezing cold night we spent huddled around a campfire trying to keep warm, but as we all know, Kimahri is not a man of very many words- so I just got the basic outline. Now I realised that he wasn't kidding when he said, "Gagazet sacred home of Ronso. Gagazet big." The wind had suddenly turned cold, and was blowing sharply in our direction. I swear I saw a slight smile on Kimahri's majestic face. Sure, this was so close to the Final Summoning, but he was home. That must have provided some sort of comfort for him in the long run.

It was tall, and jagged, the rock a pale and dusty sort of grey, thick clouds of dark grey swamping the very highest point of the rock giant. There was snow enshrouding it, making it look like a (forgive my cliché) Winter Wonderland- except I was pretty sure that the blizzard was going to be a thousand times worse than even one of Shiva's spells.

We had just passed across a rickety old wooden bridge, that I was pretty sure was going to collapse if any one of use so much as placed a toe near it again. It looked as though it hadn't been used in quite a while, and I stood close to Yuna as she gingerly placed her delicate feet in less creaky spots to avoid killing us all before we'd even gotten near Sin.

Suddenly, a voice called out to us.

"HALT!"

We turned to see the two Guado men, one tall and thin like a willow tree, the other smaller and stockier like an oak sneering at us from just a little ways away. I moved Yuna backwards, and Rikku placed herself straight in front, blocking her from the Guado's path. The taller of the two, spoke again, the other hunched over and snarling, his wooden, moss ridden knuckles grazing the grassy ground beneath his feet.

"Summons from Lord Seymour," he said, his voice like fingernails being dragged down a blackboard. "Come with us!" I was about to tell his two words that might have made him go away, the second word being 'off', but Yuna placed her arm on my shoulder, gently pushing me away, before taking a step forth, her eyebrows furrowed, her words deliberate and chilling.

"We have _nothing_ to discuss with Maester Seymour," she said, and myself, Wakka, Rikku and Kimahri, all stepped forth and resumed the tight square of people around Yuna, our sneers equally as chilling as the Guado as we made our motive very clear.

"Yeah, so out of our way," I said forcefully. These guys didn't stand a chance against us- they were what? Made of wood? A couple of swipes from Auron's sword, a jab from Rikku's knuckles, a quick Fire spell from Lulu and these guys would be either be headed to the Farplane, or running home to their mamas with their tails between their legs.

"Lord Seymour's commands must be obeyed. You will come," these guys just weren't giving up. "I warn you. The Maester doesn't need you alive." I frowned at that, and prepared to beat these losers into the ground.

Suddenly, it began to shake wildly, and I glanced around, trying to see the source of the rumbling sound in the air and the trembling ground beneath us all. From beneath the bridge we had just crossed, a huge, copper, rusted machina monster came marching, it being the cause of the banging noises we were being tormented with. I unsheathed my sword, and prepared to beat this loser into the ground.

I immediately began chanting the spell for Hasteaga, casting the powerful speed spell on myself, Auron and Lulu. Lulu used this to our advantage, her moogle imitating her actions as she mouthed the incantation for Wateraga, before launching the exceedingly powerful Black Magic on the machina. It trembled and vibrated violently as thick streams of enchanted water gushed from its joints, attacking it from the inside out. Then, Auron used Armour Break, a technique he had tried to teach me (and… failed heh heh) breaking down any defences the machina might have had installed within it. It lunged forth a rammed me with i's gigantic metal hand, and I felt the air leave my lungs as I buckled over, heavily winded, my nose bleeding from the strong contact. My eyes stung with pain as I tried to regain myself to attack once more.

Yuna saved me, casting a softly recited Curaga spell and leaving my ribs unbruised, and my nose perfectly shaped, no blood in sight. I winked at her.

"Thanks, Yuna!" She laughed and I launched forth again, attacking the machina's knees with my sword under Auron's guidance.

"Hit it harder next time!" he insisted, bashing it with his sword himself in demonstration. The thing hit me again, which required another Cura spell from Yuna, and Wakka yelling at me and telling me to pay more attention to the fight rather than arguing with Auron over how hard I could hit the damn thing. Auron then used Mental Break on the machina, confusing its robotic mind, and making its head spin round and round, causing Rikku to giggle in delight. I then gave it a Quick Hit, shocking the confused machina with my lunge forth and great slash towards its legs. Auron was happier with this hit, he said. So, I did it again, twice for good measure, the Hasteaga spell making it ten times faster and harder for the bemused machina to see. It tried to swing its club like fist at Yuna, but Wakka jumped in front of her before it could reach her, causing a large purplish bruise on his arm immediately. Yuna thanked him whole heartedly before using her White Magic to Cure him.

Wakka then used his heavy, and dangerous Blitzball to launch a Dark Attack on the machina, blinding it, enshrouding it's eyes in darkness. Kimahri used Lancet on the machina, and I hit it with a Quick Hit again, wondering when it was going to realise it was screwed and give up. The machina cast Slowaga on us all, so Wakka and Auron pulled back, letting Rikku and Yuna join the front lines with me, Yuna cast Esuna on me, and removing the curse. Rikku ran forth, and using her quick fingers and sharp knuckles, stole four Lunar Curtains, and undid a few screws and bolts in the machina's joints. Lulu then cast another heavy bought of Wateraga on the machina. It tried to swing at her, but missed. She cast it again, to teach it a lesson. I ran forth and rammed it with a Quick Hit, and the machina gave in, it's arms falling off form where Rikku had meddled with it, collapsing in a heap of scraps of rusted machina.

I let out a deep breath of relief, as did the rest of the Guardians around me. Rikku stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes dancing around.

"How d'ya like them apples?!" she demanded, giggling happily. I laughed too, and sheathed my sword away, as the Guardians began to file across the bridge that would lead us to Mount Gagazet. Already I could feel a slight chill in the air, and knew I probably should've packed warmer clothes. Then again, I reminded myself, back on Besaid, I hadn't really been intending on sticking around on the pilgrimage this long. Then, stuff happened, like finding out my dad was the big baddie hell bent on killing us all, and I fell in love with Yuna. So I guess, even though I was going to freeze my butt off, it was all for the best. I turned around, a huge smile on my face to retrieve Yuna so we could walk together, but she wasn't facing the mountain. She was staring off into the distance of the Calm Lands, her hair whipping around her face the in the wind, her kimono too. Her staff was still at her side, and she seemed so still, so quiet, that I didn't want to intrude.

That was when I realised, Yuna always did this. On the boat to Kilika. On Kilika dock. Just before the Mi'ihen Highroad. Guadosalam and the Farplane. Bevelle Palace. Macalania. Yuna stared off into the distance, and that was the moment I finally realised why. She was… saying goodbye. To the places, she thought, she'd never see again.

She turned and walked past me, her eyes determined, and when she looked back, her smile was carefully applied to suit others instead of herself, as always.

"Coming?" she asked softly, her smile wavering at the sight of my saddened eyes. They were saddened, because I didn't want Yuna to have to worry about never seeing these beautiful sights of Spira again. I didn't know how yet, but I wasn't going to let her die. And then, we'd go back on the whole pilgrimage, just the two of us when Sin was gone, and look at all the beauty and take in all the sights and not have to worry about Spira's endless spiral of death, as Auron liked to put it.

Myself and Yuna walked on in silence, because I don't think either of us knew what to say at that point. I was thinking about striking up a conversation, as the air around us turned frosty and our breath was now visible. Snowflakes began to fall and whilst we trudged in our neat formation, our feet crunched against a soft bed of snow. We had started our trek up Mount Gagazet. I know I shouldn't have been concentrating on it, but the way the snowflakes caught in Yuna's eyelashes and hair made her look dazzling, even in the pale grey light the sun emitted while it was concealed by thick grey clouds. Shiva would be loving this weather.

Suddenly, Rikku stopped, and dropped down into a fighting stance, knuckles at the ready, as Kimahri's eyes pricked as he too noticed something. I unsheathed my sword, hesitantly.

"We're not alone," Rikku murmured.

She leapt out of the way just in time, straight to a startled Yuna's side, her eyes sharp, as a great, wild Ronso leapt from a higher perch in one of the overlooking caves, straight to the snowy ground before us, teeth bared, snarling. Another two Ronso walked up behind him, and I recognized the one that had jumped us, and the one flanked the older looking Ronso clad in robes as the guys who had tried to pick a fight with Kimahri in Luca and towards the end of the Mi'ihen Highroad. Biran and Yenki, was it? The elderly Ronso regarded Yuna with tired, but wise old eyes, and spoke very clearly and precisely for a Ronso.

"Summoner Yuna," he said in a commanding tone. Yuna stood up straight, looking very impressive. "Leave here at once!"

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prick up and looked cautiously around, as Lulu released a soft fire spell, clearing the icy mist from around us, and revealing hundreds of Ronso men, women and children, watching us with their not quite human yellow eyes, some looking frightened, some worried, some furious.

"Gagazet is Ronso land. Sacred mountain of Yevon," the elderly Ronso explained in a fierce tone. "The mountain will not bare the footsteps of infidels."

The snarling Ronso stood up straight and stared long and hard at Yuna, before speaking in a growling tone. I stiffened, sword at the ready.

"Enemy of Yevon, is enemy of Ronso. Leave!" he yelled, his fury easily recognisable in his biting words. I glanced at Yuna, expecting to see a look of hurt, or careful blankness on her pretty features, but instead I saw one of fierce determination, and strength, and for a moment I felt like the sun was shining as brightly as it could in my heart- so brightly, I felt like I could burst with pride. Yuna was the same shy, timid, quiet young girl, who was only barely a Summoner from the tiny Isle of Besaid any longer. She had grown up along this journey, come to realise that the world is not as innocent as she expected and that corruption was possible in any place in the entire Universe if only human beings were involved.

"I have cast aside Yevon!" she said forcefully, and the Ronso's nostrils flared. "I follow the temples no more!" The largest Ronso made to attack, but the elder held him back.

"Then," he said simply. "You will die by those words!"

Yuna nodded her head, eyes blazing, fists clenched at her sides.

"So be it. Yevon has warped the teachings and betrayed us all!" she insisted, her voice echoing throughout the otherwise silent cavern filled with naught but snow, Ronso and Summoning Party. Wakka spat on the ground, and Lulu made a displeased face, but his smirk was wide and victorious as he crossed his arms and nodded.

"Nothing but a bunch of low down tricksters, eh!" he added to Yuna's words and me and Rikku nodded our heads and proclaimed our agreement with our Summoner along with him, much to his delight. Yuna smiled at them and turned back to the three Ronso, the two younger ones moving into fighting position before us. Yuna stared them down with such strength I'm surprised they didn't stagger back.

"We have _no_ regrets."

The Ronso didn't like that. Not one little bit. They both sheathed their claws and I winced at the sheer rough jaggedness of them, as they opened their mouths and snarled, teeth just as lethal.

"Blasphemers!" Biran yelled at us. Before they could launch themselves, Kimahri stepped forth, and squared up to him, even though he was the runt of the Ronso litter, and his horn was snapped in two- I still believe he looked more a warrior than that other hopeless Ronso would ever have looked. I suddenly recognized the older Ronso to be the Maester, who had been the judge at Yuna's trial. So he knew all about Yevon and its corruption! What, was he just pretending he hadn't heard all of the crap that went down in that court room?! Just pretending that he hadn't heard about Seymour murdering his father and Mika being just as dead as the next fiend?!

"A Summoner and her Guardians," he said slowly, as if contemplating this fact. Lulu sighed in that annoyed fashion that used to get on my nerves, but now I find quite endearing (sorta like how when your mom yells at you, but you know that if she didn't yell, she wouldn't care and that would just suck- and yes- I guess you could say Lu is like my mom).

"Maester Kelk Ronso, if I may," she said, stepping forth, her chilling beauty forcing the Ronso to look twice at her strong features, inhumanly long dark lashes and burning ruby red eyes. Her moogle twitched dangerously at her side. "Have you not also turned your back on Bevelle?" Auron spoke up from beside her, stoic and cool as ever.

"Yet still you guard Gagazet- not as a Maester, but a Ronso. Yuna, is much the same," he reasoned. He had a pretty awesome point right there, and it threw Yenki ad Biran off quite a bit. They stepped away from Kimahri, and looked to their leader for guidance.

"Elder Kelk! Let Biran rend them asunder. No escape! Not one!" he laughed, stepping forth further, Yenki laughing too at his side. Yuna shook her head and spoke, like what she said next was the single most simple thing in the entire world.

"No. We will not flee. We will fight, and we will continue on," she said, and we all nodded fiercely, weapons drawn, prepared to fight to the death just to get Yuna past these Ronso. Kelk looked confused, and raised a paw to Yuna, gazing at her with wise old eyes.

"You have been branded a traitor. Yet still, you would fight Sin?" he questioned inquisitively. "Lost to the temple, hated by the people, yet still, you continue your pilgrimage? Everything lost! What do you fight for?"

I stood close to Yuna and heard her sharp intake of breath, as her eyes sparkled with thoughts of a Sin free world in which children could be safe and everyone could be happy. She shrugged, and almost to herself, she replied to the grand Ronso Maester, who treated her like she was some foolish child, who didn't understand the decisions she was making herself.

"I fight… for Spira," she answered simply, her voice not trembling a bit, despite the frigid weather or the fear of what could happen if we didn't beat the Ronso. "The people long for the Calm," she continued. Her smile was small, almost bitter, I thought. "_I_ can give it to them. It's all I can give. Defeating Sin… ending pain? This, I can do."

Kelk looked away from her strong gaze, and I knew she had gotten to him. She was good at that, even if she didn't realise it. He shook his head and sighed.

"Even if it means sacrificing yourself?" he said gently, and Yuna didn't give in, her stance strong, all of us behind her one hundred million per cent. He turned, and began to walk away from us, his long, colourful, Maester robes becoming wet at the fringes from the moisture in the snow, and he stopped a little ways away, his voice sincere, his face the other direction. "Ronso," he called. "Let them pass."

I couldn't believe it! Yuna's heartfelt speech had actually gotten through to the old guy, and he was willing to let us carry on and continue the pilgrimage we'd all been striving so hard to complete! "Summoner Yuna... your will is stronger than steel. Tempered steel, that not even the mightiest Ronso could not hope to bend. Yuna, we bow to you! Now, go! The sacred heights of Gagazet, welcome you!" he roared, opening up his arms in a welcoming gesture, the blizzard picking up around us as if the very mountain itself was agreeing with the wise old Maester's words. Yuna smiled sincerely, and bowed her deepest bow.

"We thank you," she said calmly, and politely, and Lulu rubbed her back encouragingly as Wakka span his Blitzball around on his finger in delight. Without further delay, we began to move as a group once more as the Ronso dispersed and Kelk walked around the little clearing before the real climb up Mount Gagazet began speaking to them. We had just crossed a little ridge, ready to begin our dangerous journey, when a loud, commanding voice bellowed all around us, shaking icicles from their perches and snow from the peaks around us.

"HALT!"

I groaned.

"I've had it with people telling us to HALT today," I nudged Rikku playfully in the ribs and she giggled, nodding her head in agreement, her smile sunny. I rolled my eyes, and Rikku let out a disgruntled little sigh when we saw Yenki and Biran walking towards us, scowls set deep on their cat like faces, shoulders back, horns held high. "Haven't you bothered us enough?" I asked rudely. Yenki shook his head, looking serious.

"Summoner may pass... Guardians may past... Kimahri NOT pass! Kimahri shame Ronso brothers. Kimahri forget his birth!" he finished what had begun as a calm statement in a hateful snarl, and Biran nodded his head in agreement with the huge Ronso.

"Forget his mountain... forget his people... little Ronso! We clean Ronso!" he yelped at us, and Yenki growled low in his throat, as he surveyed Kimahri with such loathing I flinched backwards.

"Mountain hate the weak! Hate the small! If you will climb-"

"Then I must prove my strength!" Kimahri called out to them, not in an angry, vicious snarl, but in a powerful, commanding tone of voice, and I suddenly came to realise just how much more civilised Kimahri was compared to the rest of the Ronso. Living around us boring old hairless humans for so long really must have depressed him.

"Think you will win? You not forget who took your horn!" Yenki goaded Kimahri, baring his teeth in a sarcastic and hate filled Ronso smirk. "Never forget!" Biran spoke too then, triumphant even though the battle had not yet even taken place.

"Kimahri never beat brother Biran! Never win-!"

"This time I win," Kimahri cut Biran's speech off once more, and stepped forth past me, looking tiny compared to these huge Ronso, his yellow eyes glimmering with determination, his teeth bared. "I _will _win!" These two Ronso were seriously pissing me off with their whole 'we're so much frickin' better than Kimahri' attitude, and Kimahri was just standing for it. I clenched my teeth and reached for my sword, just as Kimahri stuck his arm out as if he predicted what I was about to do.

"This some kind of Ronso thing?" I shot at him, as I felt Rikku's knuckle blades quiver at my side. Kimahri glanced down at me, and I saw the ghost of a smile on his wise and strangely handsome face.

"Kimahri problem!" he insisted, before drawing his spear, and lunging forth at Biran and Yenki.

We, the Summoner party, watched in rapt fascination as the Ronso fought with grace and speed even for such large creatures, their spears whipping through the air and barely grazing the other within seconds of being drawn. I watched as they used the special Ronso technique Lancet, and as they demonstrated the abilities that certain fiends we had battled against had possessed. Yuna stood close to me, and I slipped my hand through hers at the sick expression on her face. Kimahri was one of her oldest friends. He had guarded her since she was a tiny little girl, and at the prospect of him losing his life, she was very nearly violently ill all over the snow. But Kimahri was holding his own, despite the fact Yenki was doing all he could to protect Biran from Kimahri's death blows. Wakka was yelling and cheering our friend on, along with Rikku, who had clambered up around his shoulders and was whooping and cheering (and occasionally using some profound Al Bhed cuss words- I mean yeesh, for a princess that kid can swear!) as loud as her little lungs could muster. Until eventually, Biran and Yenki fell, grovelling at Kimahri's feet, looking shocked and in awe at just how powerful their 'little Ronso' truly was.

"Strong... Kimahri," Yenki spat as he clutched his side in pain. Biran nodded in his turmoil too.

"Biran is happy," he wheezed, before Yenki turned and walked to the top of the slope behind us, cupping his paws around his lips and calling out as loud as he could, so the deep, disjointed speech he spoke echoed throughout all the caverns and hills on Mount Gagazet.

"Sacred Mount Gagazet!" he called. "I honour the name of strong warrior who defeats Biran! Remember always Gagazet! That name is Kimahri!"

Yuna's hand was still clutching mine as tightly as it would go, as Biran turned and bared his teeth in a Ronso smile.

"Mountain know Kimahri is strong. Kimahri may pass," he said deeply, his eyes full with respect for Kimahri and the rest of our Summoning party. "Summoner! We will stop pursuers from reaching temple!" Yuna's eyes brightened at these words, and she broke away from me, and shuffled towards the Ronso a bit, her eyes hopeful, gooseflesh blossoming on her white skin.

"Truly?" she breathed. They nodded.

"Penance for breaking Kimahri's horn, long ago. We crush enemies following behind! Kimahri crush enemies standing before. You are most fortunate, Summoner," Biran told her gracefully. Yuna smiled softly, and I watched as the two magnificent Ronso were transfixed by that smile. She turned to Kimahri.

"I know," she said quietly, before bowing to the Ronso. "I thank you." They nodded and bared their teeth in a Ronso smile, before Biran threw his fist in the air, and proclaimed to the entirety of the mountain his feelings.

"Ronso will shine your statue brightest," he said. Yuna's eyes glistened in joy at these words, and I knew just how much they meant to her. She smiled again and shook her head slowly.

"Thank you. But I would think no one would make a statue for a traitor such as I am," she explained sadly.

"Then Ronso will make!" Yenki declared. Biran nodded seriously.

"With grand horn on head!" he agreed. Yuna smiled happily, and bowed her head again, eye shining in the pale light.

"That would be wonderful," she told them, waving lightly as they turned and began to walk away from us, towards where the other Ronso were situated to explain to them their plans of protecting Yuna against all costs. The Guardians and Yuna began to file away from me up the hill, and I frowned as I turned back to look through the gate at the little clearing Kelk had confronted us in, the snowflakes getting caught in my hair. I felt uneasy. I wanted so badly to see the statue of Yuna too... but I wanted to do it with Yuna firmly by my side, where we wouldn't have to live in constant fear of Sin or death. That was what I wanted, what I desired more than anything else in the entire world.

But me and 'Ku still hadn't thought of an idea yet...

We walked on together for another little moment, before I heard Biran's voice loud and clear.

"SUMMONER YUNA!"

I growled and turned in the direction of his voice, high up above us, annoyed they kept making us stop and start- sure they had big furry coats, but we had skin!

"What is it this time?!" I demanded crossly, making Yuna giggle slightly at my pout. It was silent for a moment, before a loud, grumbling sound was heard, not sweet and lovely like music should be, but not heinous either. I realised what the Ronso were singing- the Hymn of the Fayth. Yuna touched her heart with her hand and said a silent prayer for the Ronso, as every man, woman and child joined in the singing of the strengthening song, trying to lighten Yuna's heart for the journey ahead. We began walking then, faster now that we hadn't as many distractions we'd had a little while ago, and after a few nasty encounters with fiends that drew power from Blizzards and spells orientated around Black Blizzard Magic, we stopped to catch our breath, only to see a giant rock embedded in the snowy ground, and Yuna blessed herself.

Lulu sighed and too blessed herself as she murmured, "These mark the graves of the Summoners and Guardians who... failed." She didn't need to say any more and we all turned away, all now deeply saddened by this sight. They'd made it so far in their pilgrimage, gotten to this final hurdle and died while trying to save everybody. That seemed to be a Summoner's eventual fate. Dying painfully, or slowly, or for somebody else. I didn't like it one bit.

Everyone was freezing their butts off by now. Especially Rikku, who not only was extremely well adapted for living in the boiling heat of Bikanel and Home, but was wearing the least clothing out of all of us, and had to resort to dancing up and down on the spot to avoid getting frostbite on her little fingers and toes. I offered her my gloves, but she snapped at me and told me to focus on keeping Yuna's hands warm and not anybody else's. Yuna refused to take my gloves, as she thought I'd be cold, so I held her had tightly at my side instead.

As we walked along together, hands clasped tightly, Yuna spoke.

"You know, many of the fiends we fight up here were once Summoners. When they died, there was nobody to Send them. Sad, isn't it?" she asked me sincerely, and I glanced at her, seeing the fear linger in her eyes. It had become far easier to read her facial expressions and deeper emotions that she didn't always want people to see.

"Don't worry. I promise I won't let anything happen to you up here. Kimahri's now the most kick-ass Ronso known among them. Wakka's a hardcore Besaid Aurochs fan, so he's used to fist fights. Lulu's all badass and magical. Auron's just scary. Rikku can swear like a trooper when she needs too because of all them brothers. I'm pretty nifty with a sword," I waggled my eyebrows and Yuna giggled.

"And I have my Aeons, don't forget them," she pointed out and I nodded my head seriously.

"Sure. Who could forget old Valefor? Speaking of, Yuna, I've been wondering- how did your Aeons get to be Fayth in the first place? I mean where they Summoners? Did they volunteer, or was it punishment?" Yuna thought it over for a moment before speaking, choosing her words carefully.

"They each have their own stories. Do you know that when I Summon an Aeon, I feel like I'm a part of them? Many think that would be great- but all of that joy comes with sorrow too. Would you like to hear a story? Shiva's is my favourite," she added quietly, blushing a little at her forwardness. I laughed and nodded my head.

"Go on Yuna- dazzle me," I joked, pulling her along at my side. She giggled and shook her hair from her eyes as she began to recite the story.

"During the very first Calm, Spira had many monarchs, who ruled over the vast cities and areas of land all over Spira. There was one particular monarch, a princess of Macalania named Shiva, who was more beautiful than any other woman that had ever lived. Her father was trying to force her to marry a foul old Duke from Bevelle, whom she hated with every fibre of her being, and had no intention of marrying. So, one night when her father was asleep, she fled from the palace to Macalania Woods, with the help of her favourite servant Dante, where she hid.

The princess had never been on her own before, and she didn't know how to fend for herself, or protect herself from dangerous fiends, and she was certain she was going to die. Until, by some magical stroke of luck, a hunter found her crying one day. He was immediately bewitched by her startling beauty, and knew she was the princess, but wanted to stay with her. So, he promised not to tell anyone of her whereabouts, if she would only let him teach her how to hunt and survive on her own.

Over time, Shiva's magic grew powerful, and she was able to fend for herself perfectly, but she had come to love the hunter, and wouldn't leave him. He still hadn't betrayed her secret to the King either. One day, Shiva was alone, as the hunter had gone to Luca to sell his goods. Before she knew what was happening, the woods that had become her home and called out to her were being shredded to pieces by unyielding, evil machina fire, and she was taken capture by her father and made to return home.

Her heart was broken and shattered, as she believed the hunter she adored so much had betrayed her. He came to visit her at the high window of her room, and swore that it was not him who betrayed her. She couldn't believe him- he had been the only one who knew. He refused to leave the window, and that morning, the guards found him and Shiva ordered them to shoot him dead. Shiva wept bitter tears of heartbreak and sadness, and called to Yevon for guidance.

"My only love has forsaken me," she cried. "I am not regretful that he is dead- what can I do?" As she called this, the servant, Dante, who had helped her escape that night long ago, could bare the guilt no longer. She ran to Shiva's room and proclaimed that it had been she, who had told the King of the princess' hiding place, and the hunter had been telling the truth. Shiva was overcome by devastation, and pure loathing for herself, and she ran from the castle, far from her father to the side of Macalania Lake, where her tears turned to crystal on her cheeks. A voice called to her, and she believed it to be Lady Yunalesca.

"Let go of the horrors and betrayal of this world, my child, and I shall grant you everlasting penance for these sins you have committed. I will love you, cherish you, hold you for the rest of time, and you will save so many others and aid them in their journeys. Just let go, my child. Let go..."

Shiva wept her last tear, and felt the souls of a thousand dead well within her chest, causing all the pain and suffering to evaporate. With her last breaths, she drew magic from these souls, and healed her beautiful Woods, turning what was once wooden to crystal, and what was once pyreflies to crystallised butterflies. Then, she threw herself into the Lake and drowned.

Her Fayth was found when a Summoner was drawn to it, and a Temple was built in her name. She became a new Aeon- Shiva, the Goddess of Ice. People revered in her presence, prayed to her, and worshipped her. But those feelings of heartbreak, of devastation of hatred for herself- have still, despite the centuries she has repented, not worn away."

Yuna finished her story, with tears in her eyes, and I saw the glimmer of power dance in them that I saw when she Summoned, and realised Shiva must have been touched by this story. I too, felt my eyes wetter than normal, and frowned at the beautiful, sad, sad story.

"That's... awful. I always figured, Shiva was a Summoner, and had chosen to become a Fayth rather than battle Sin... But her life sucked, didn't it?" I asked, and Yuna smiled sadly, nodding her head.

"Uh huh..."

I hadn't realised just how long Yuna had been telling her story and I had been entranced by it, but apparently, we'd been walking for a good long while now, only encountering minor fiends, minor enough that Auron and Lulu could deal with them in a couple of blows. We were walking up a long and narrow stretch of ice that led to one of the highest peaks of Gagazet (although I had noticed that _the_ highest peaks were concealed by misty fog) and we were so high up I was getting pretty dizzy. Rikku came to my side, and pried me way from Yuna, complaining she was cold and needed me to walk with her for a while and that she was sorry. Yuna laughed and handed me over, going to talk with Lulu for a while, whose furry dress was keeping her fairly warm. Rikku grinned at Yuna, but when she turned to me, her swirly green eyes were dazzling with tears and she looked more troubled than I'd ever seen her.

She slipped her hand into my own and we walked in silence for a moment as she rested her head on my shoulder, warming herself up a little. She sighed, and spoke quietly so no one else could hear us.

"Zanarkand... is on the other side, you know?" I tilted my head downwards in shame, and Rikku clenched my hand tighter, the sweet, tropical scent of her hair distracting me from my sadness.

"I know," I said softly. She nodded, and I watched as a tear leaked past her eyes and turned to crystallised water easily in the fierce weather we were walking in.

"Yunie... is going to get the Final Aeon, you know?" she added even more quiet than before. I nodded, and noticed we'd stopped.

"I know."

"I still haven't thought of anything!" she said loudly, obviously aggravated with herself and her apparent inability to come up with a way to save Yuna's life.

"Me neither," I agreed in a hopeless tone, my mood downcast. Rikku moaned in her high, sweet voice.

"What're we going to do?!" she demanded, sounding utterly desperate, and clenching her hands into tight balls at her sides. I sighed, and tried to be optimistic about our dismal situation.

"We'll think of something to help Yuna! We... just don't know enough yet," I said surely, acting more determined than I really felt. "Let's go to Zanarkand! We'll find something there! It'll all come together, I know it!" I had gotten a little carried away, and Rikku's tiny smirk was cool and I-told-you-so in a weird way, as she placed a finger to her chin and stretched her smile wider.

"Heeyy," she said coyly. "Just then, you sounded like a leader, you know?" she finished happily. I stuck my thumb in my chest and swelled up proudly.

"Star player and youngest Captain ever of the Zanarkand Abes! Didn't anybody tell you?" I asked, astounded that Rikku hadn't picked up on this information. I was certain I'd told her the very first time we had met on that Al Bhed ship when I'd first landed in Spira. Then again, she'd thought I was completely out of my coconut that time, so I guess I could give her a by ball. She giggled.

"Ah hah! Now it makes sense!" she laughed and I started to laugh too. She gazed up at me and smiled gently. Before I knew it, Rikku had flung herself at my chest, and was clinging onto me as tight as she possibly could, her head buried in my shoulder. I didn't know how to react, until I heard a sniffle. She was crying. I wound my arms around her back, and comforted her as any big brother would. I barely heard her feeble murmur, but it was there.

"I just don't want to lose her Tidus..."

Suddenly, Rikku let out a large gasp and said something shocked in Al Bhed. I unsheathed my sword instantly, and whipped around as fast as I could, to see none other than Maester Seymour standing watching us, his eyes as cold and blue, his smirk as sinister and evil as it had been the very first time I had laid eyes on him, stepping off that boat in Luca.

"Ah... the son of Jecht," he said coldly. I pulled Rikku away from my body and shoved her, sending her skidding across the snowy ground.

"Rikku," I spoke as urgently as I could, her eyes alert and glittering. "Run ahead and tell Auron!" She shook her head, and looked unsurely from me to Seymour, her lip jutting out as she refused.

"You are not fighting him alone!" she insisted. I groaned, and shot her a dangerous look that told her we didn't have time for this.

"Rikku! Go! NOW!" I insisted, and she nodded her head, turning and running as fast she possibly could in the direction the others had been headed last time we had seen them. Seymour laughed at me, before speaking emotionlessly once more.

"Now, is your time to die. Prepare yourself, son of Jecht." He began to walk effortlessly across the slippery ground towards me, and I almost growled in hatred of the Guado.

"Not if I can help it," I snarled, preparing myself for battle, my blade sharp and menacing.

"Save some for Kimahri!" came a rumbling voice from behind us, and I turned to see the entire party, Rikku standing at the front of the group, puffing frantically, everyone already decked out for battle. Lulu's eyes narrowed at the scene before her, her moogle twitching dangerously from its perch in her garter. They ran forth and Seymour smirked, as his hungry eyes swept Yuna's petite frame.

"Lady Yuna," he drawled."How pleasant to see you." Lulu nudged Yuna urgently.

"Yuna!" she warned, but the young Summoner was already moving her arms in that graceful fashion that I despised to see. Seymour's eyebrows twitched, and I saw a flicker of impatience in the depths of his cold, malicious eyes.

"A Sending? So soon?" he turned his attention to Kimahri, his smirk wicked and cruel, and the mighty Ronso did not back down, but bared his teeth so even more were on display. Seymour was speaking again. "Allow me to say something to the last Ronso, before I leave- Yours was truly a gallant race. They threw themselves at me to bar my path. One... by...one," he laughed cruelly when his speech was over, and the words hung in the air as we stood, attempting to understand him.

He'd murdered... all of the Ronso?

"NO!" Kimahri yelled, his horror and hatred for the Guado clearly etched on his magnificent features. He was about to launch himself on Seymour, when Yuna called out, eyes fearful for her friend. She didn't want him to stumble blindly into this fight, as she knew he would if his vision was clouded by wants of revenge.

"Kimahri!"

"You must end this poor Ronso's suffering," Seymour said coldly, and Yuna shot him a look of utter contempt and faced him full on, her expression a concoction of confusion and undiluted hate.

"I don't understand you!" she screeched at him, her anger unable to keep at bay. Seymour shrugged and turned away, gazing out at the many hills beyond us.

"End his pain, and allow Kimahri to die. Spira is a land of suffering and sorrow, caught in a spiral of death. To destroy, to heal Spira, I will become Sin. Yes... with your help," he said slowly, before turning back to Yuna, and locking gazes with her. She didn't back down, her mismatching eyes burning right back towards his own icy cold irises. "Come with me, Yuna."

I didn't like where this was going, so I leapt in front of Yuna, and broke her eye contact with Seymour my sword trembling at my side as I tried my very hardest not to slash him into pieces in that very second. He glanced at me, like I was nothing more than a mere distraction and tilted his head to one side.

"When I am Sin, your father, will be free again," he said easily. I groaned, and shook my head, trying to clear it of all of this crap that had been happening, and ran forth.

"What do you know?!" I yelled, preparing to smash my sword into his side. Just as I was poised to do so, a great machina rose up behind Seymour, and he shot a cold smile at me.

"Pitiful mortal," he said, his voice magically intensified. My eyes widened, as he pulsed with energy and power. "Your hope ends here!" he yelped, as he became one with the machina. "And your meaningless existence along with it!"

We all knew what was coming next. One seriously big ass battle. And we were all ready for it.

To begin, I did what I usually do, and cast Hasteaga on everyone, speeding everybody up. I then ran forth and hit it with a very successful Overdrive named Energy Rain, which involved showers of powerful magic surging from the tip of my sword as I launched it down on top of Seymour and his machina, causing a fair amount of damage. Lulu then swapped places with Yuna in the front lines, and cast a dose of what she described as one of the darkest spells in all of Black Magic (the only other two cancelling it out being Death and Doom, two very nasty spells that I had never seen in action, but had had the effects of two such spells described in great detail when I asked Lulu why she never used them) called Bio, which enshrouded Seymour is a cloud of gooey darkness, weighing him down. Kimahri then used a fiend learnt trait called Mighty Guard, which protected all of us instantly. I felt rejuvenated and strong. I then leapt forth with my newly found strength to swipe at Seymour before throwing Kimahri a potion, because I was being kind.

I attacked again, whilst Lulu chanted the tricky incantation for Firaga, and launched the full blown attack on Seymour, her moogle dancing along at her feet as she swayed her hips and flicked her fingers in elaborate gestures. Wakka used a Silence Attack on Seymour next, dealing some damage while casting Silence at the same time and Rikku used her nimble fingers and bombs to Mug him, stealing valuable Elixir. Seymour cast Dispel on us, which removed our status effects, which was annoying, but Auron ran straight to the front lines, and launched his favourite Overdrive, Banishing Blade on Seymour Flux. After a heavy dose of Black Magic had been applied to his sword, he swung at Seymour, dealing great damage to the once Maester and causing him to cry out in anguish. Lulu cast Firaga once more, and after that Seymour cast Protect on himself as a way of avoiding our future hits. Lulu was then hit by a heavy dose of a spell called Flare, and had to retreat as her wounds were too bad. Yuna casted Cura on her, reviving her almost fully and she was able to carry on.

Yuna then cast Dispel on the magic empowered Seymour, and we watched as he weakened considerably. Seymour then hit everyone with a full on blast of a spell I didn't know, that weakened everybody so much, I was beginning to doubt whether or not we would actually win this fight. But then Rikku hurriedly mixed a Mega-Potion that cured us all instantly when she threw it on the ground, allowing it to smash, causing the healing fumes it released to cleanse us all. Seymour cast Flare on Auron, who barely even flinched at the powerful spell and Seymour retreated away from him again. I ran forth and attacked Seymour's actual body, and Lulu cast her own dose of Flare on Seymour, smiling coyly as it gave the desired effect and rattled his considerably. Auron and I then used our famous among our group anyways, Quick Hits and jabbed at Seymour with dangerous speed. With a flourish I ran forth, and gave on final Quick Hit, and Seymour was finished. The machina was torn from his screaming form, and within seconds, they had both descended into naught but descending pyreflies.

I was on my knees, exhausted, yet I still mustered enough strength to scream at the sky with precious breath I should've been saving. I hoped to hell that Seymour heard me.

"AND STAY UP THERE!"

* * *

**A/N: Ta da! Almot been a whole year since this story began! ^_^ My computer crashed you see :S And I thought I was going to have to rewritethis entire chapter, which seriously broke my heart, but I didn't in the end! So, I hope you enjoyed, and I hope you guys all leave nice, juicy reviews for me! Thanks!**


	22. Hymn of the Fayth

**The Hymn of the Fayth.**

_**Tidus**_

All was silent.

I took a deep breath and stood up straight, rubbing at a long wound that jagged its way across my cheek, the viscous red fluid called blood, adding another crimson stain to my glove. My muscles ached and I was pretty sure I was going to have one hell of a bruise on my right bicep tomorrow, but what mattered now wasn't the scars I had earned; it was the fact that Seymour was gone, for now at least and I didn't have to worry about this particular obstacle ruining Yuna's chances of continuing her pilgrimage. We Guardians began to file away from the place near the cliff edge we had fought Seymour, my mind replaying the conversation Rikku and I had presently shared. It wasn't until we were a few paces away that I realised Yuna wasn't with us. I turned my head, to see her standing where we were a moment ago, fists clenched, a bruise on her cheek, hair ruffled and kimono crinkled.

Her eyes were shut tight as she spoke.

"With my help, he would become Sin," she said slowly, quietly, and I was confused. Auron immediately spun round to this comment, his grey eyes flashing from behind the shade of his glasses, his white streaked hair messy, freezing sweat glistening on his forehead.

"Lies. Forget them," he told her fiercely, his voice willing her to understand. Yuna sighed and looked up at us all, and then her eyes locked tightly with mine, her words forced and determined.

"If he became Sin... Sir Jecht would be freed," she added simply, as if she expected me to react to that. Her gaze slipped from mine, and she focused her eyes intently on Auron, their mysterious colours boring into him. He returned her gaze with a stony one.

"We're leaving," he turned sharply on his heel, and Yuna's temper snapped. Her balled fists clenched tighter, and she stepped forth a little, fatigued from fighting and angry with Auron.

"You know something! Tell me!" she yelled at him, all the power she possessed in her body going into screeching the words at her Guardian. I suddenly felt a wave of guilt wash over me. Yuna knew something was going on deeper between me and Auron and my father than simply a family feud. She suspected something worse and she was right. Jecht was Sin, and she still had no idea about. She looked desperate and gazed into my eyes again, searching for the truth. She was certain I knew something too. I couldn't hide my feelings from Yuna, even if I wanted to. It was far too difficult. She stepped forth towards me, clasping my hand in her own frigid one, her body shaking.

"Tell me," she moaned in a whisper, and I couldn't lie to her any longer. She'd come clean with me, so I'd do the same for her. I held her hand as tightly as I could, and spoke so everyone could hear.

"Sin's... my old man." Lulu's eyes flew open, Auron sighed in annoyed way, Rikku let out a startled little gasp, Kimahri's brows furrowed, and Wakka jumped to my side, slapping a hand against my forehead, testing for a fever.

"You hit your head?" he asked sympathetically, and I groaned and wriggled away from him, keeping my hand locked in Yuna's, whose eyes were wide in shock and confusion.

"Sin is my old man, my old man, became Sin! I don't know how or why he did it! I felt him... inside... and when I did? I knew it was true. My old man is Spira's suffering," I gazed at Yuna whose face was saddened. The one thing I had wanted was not to make her sad! I wanted her to smile, and here I was making her depressed again. "I'm sorry," I told her desperately, and her sigh was small.

"Even knowing that Sin is your father... still, you know I must..." she trailed off, but I wasn't stupid. I knew what she was going to say. I stepped closer to her, my hand still grasped tightly in hers.

"I know! Let's go get him! I think... my old man would want that," I told her softly, our bodies almost touching just as they had that day in Macalania spring. Lulu didn't come near us and interrupt us, but she spoke softly, in that calming way I had grown to love.

"You'd fight your own father?" she asked quietly. I grinned wryly and nodded my head.

"Yeah. No problems there," I assured her. I laughed bitterly. Wakka stood unsurely at Lulu's side.

"'Bout your old man... you sure this ain't some kinda bad... toxin dream, or something?" he questioned me curiously, rubbing the back of his flaming red head. I shook my head. His eyes flickered. "Oh. So then... Chappu. Uh, I think I'll pretend I didn't hear nothin'," he said, more to himself than the rest of us, and I internally groaned. My own father had taken the life of one of my closest friend's brother. He was the reason Chappu didn't marry Lulu and have a family and Wakka couldn't play Blitz with him anymore. He was the reason Chappu had died so young, when he had so much left to do in his life. "I'm getting a little confused, ya? Why... why'd all this have to happen?"

Auron turned and began to walk away.

"We'll learn when we arrive. Soon," he assured, and continued walking down the path that they had taken before Rikku and me.

Yuna didn't let go of my hand.

We stepped down the path together, and Yuna let out a gasp.

"Wow!" she pointed out ahead of us and the rest of our jaws collectively dropped with sight displayed before us.

A hundred human bodies, all still in immaculate condition were frozen into a great ice wall ahead of us, all seemingly worshipping a gigantic symbol also swallowed up by the ice. It looked like a great, magical curtain was blocking them from the outside cold, like some sort of ultra fine gossamer that danced, and glimmered and shone in the bleak light atop the mountain. We all gazed at it in wonder, hearing the soft tinkle of pyreflies in the air around us, the wind soft around the cavern. Just a little way beyond, shooting from a frozen river, was a great ice spiral, that shot all the way up to the cloudy mist that hung over the top of Gagazet, the pyreflies fluttering majestically around it, making it seem otherworldly and beautiful.

"What are those?" Wakka asked, dumbfounded. Yuna let go of me and walked away, breath taken by the stunning sight before us.

"Those," she pointed slightly at the frozen people. "Are Fayth." Yuna walked closer, and inclined her head as a nearby Fayth sparkled and she frowned.

"A Summoning...?" she asked herself softly, before looking around at the others. "Someone is using these Fayth... drawing energy from them," she told us, her brow furrowed. Rikku tore her gaze away from them and frowned.

"This many?" she chirped. Lulu nodded her head.

"Who wields power on this scale?" she wondered aloud. "And what could they be calling?" Rikku's emerald eyes swiftly narrowed, and she tiptoed over to Auron, her finger accusing her gaze sharp.

"Hey... you know something. Don't you? Spill the beans!" she demanded, her skills at deciphering others paying off. Auron shoved past her, ignoring her.

"Look not to others for knowledge. This is your journey too," he muttered at her, and she groaned.

"But Yunie might die!" she insisted. I shook my head, walking over to the Fayth, feeling extremely dizzy all of a sudden.

"No. Auron's right. This is our..." I hesitated in my dizziness, and tried to focus. "This is my story." My dizziness was too much to bear all of a sudden, and I felt the urge to reach out and caress the Fayth taking over my entire body and mind and I had to touch it. As my hand met with the shimmering, gossamer impersonating magic, my entire body felt like it was on fire. I was sure I was burning to death, that I was going to roast and sizzle and scald, and without any warning, my legs gave way beneath me, the only comfort, the icy ground beneath my head.

It wasn't icy for long.

* * *

When I awoke next, I was on a hard wooden surface. I opened my eyes, and rose to my feet as best as I could, my legs feeling firmer and more able. The cut on my cheek was gone, and so was the bruise on my bicep. I gazed around me, and took in the buzzing neon signs, the brightly lit shop windows, the unmistakable silhouette of skyscrapers against the eternally twilight sky. I was home.

Zanarkand.

I noticed I was on the deck of my private yacht, the one I had been prepping on the night that Sin had attacked and I had been swept away into the spiral of death that was Spira. Zanarkand looked just as it always had, no traces of Sin no matter which direction I looked. Thinking nothing of it, as the machina here was exceptionally good at fixing things up. I opened the door to the private suite that was decked out within my yacht, catered especially to my tastes. Man, I was a spoiled brat when I lived here. The inside was just as I remembered, the stunning view of the City of Lights bright and clear as ever from the window in the cabin. I smiled wistfully, remembering how much I'd loved to just sit and watch the transition into the deepest of black night skies from here.

"Welcome home."

I jumped and was snapped hurriedly out of my reverie, to see pyreflies fluttering gently in the corner of the room, surrounding a child shrouded in cloth of rich blues and purples, so his face was hidden from view. The child I seen that night in Zanarkand. The child that had been the Fayth of Bahamut.

"You..." I murmured.

"We met in Bevelle," he said brightly. I suddenly felt very slow and stupid, realising none of this was making any sense.

"Uh... yeah," was all I could say.

"But, that wasn't the first time we met," he added thoughtfully, and I raised a brow. "I've known about you for a long time. A long, long time."

"I feel like I know you too," I said in a rush, without realising what was actually coming out of my mouth. "Where are we?"

The child giggled and shook its head slightly, turning around to gaze at me, or so I suspected, from the shadows of his hood pulled low over his eyes.

"Silly! Don't recognise your own home?" he asked me curiously, as if I was stupid for asking such an obvious question. The Fayth Bahamut suddenly began to dissipate, pyreflies floating from his skin, fading away into nothingness. I stretched out my hand, not wanting him to leave quite yet, without at least telling me the answers to some of the puzzling things that he had told me. As he disappeared, a new person appeared beside, translucent and not truly there, I could tell. Still, Wakka looked exactly the same as ever, only this time he had a horrible pained expression on his face, as he called out.

"Hey! What's gotten into you, ya?" he yelped. He faded away, and the pyreflies swept to another side of me, weaving an image of Rikku's pretty Al Bhed features, her snubbed nose and twinkling green eyes, and she crouched low, her eyes shimmering with tears.

"Wake up! Wake up!" she cried. I frowned as she disappeared and realised.

I had collapsed after I touched the Fayth. This was all in my head. I turned, and hoping the Fayth Bahamut could still hear me, I spoke surely.

"Wait. This is a dream," I said. The Fayth suddenly appeared, and ran to my side, nodding his head.

"Precisely," his voice came out almost sad, wistful I thought. I shook my head. I was a Guardian! We were inches away from Zanarkand! Yuna needed me now more than ever!

"A dream? Are you crazy? I don't have time for this!" I insisted. The Fayth shook his head slowly, and the timeless realm we stood in seemed slower and denser as he spoke next.

"You're wrong. It is not that you are dreaming," he paused, and tilted his head up, my eyes searching through the blackness his hood created to try and find some sort of emotion- if I could see it, I could understand it better. The Fayth's voice was soft and gentle, as if he were a doctor, breaking the news that someone's lover was about to die.

"You _are_ a dream."

My mind did a double take. What? This kid wasn't making any sense at all, but before I could question him further, he ran from my sight, fading in and out of my view with the pyreflies, like some sort of iridescent spectre. I followed suit, running as fast I could, skidding on the carpet, past the picture of my mother and father and me when I was a baby, past the trophies and the photograph of Auron and me catching fish. I ran outside, the cool night air of Zanarkand, feeling strangely bland and dead, like time had fallen to a standstill, and I looked hectically around, trying to find the kid. Pyreflies danced above my head, and I rushed up the stairs to the top deck, where the child led me over to the railing on my boat, smile soft, eyes still hidden by the darkened hood.

"A long time ago," he began speaking, "there was a war."

"Yeah, with... machina, right?" I said, showing what knowledge I had gathered from my time stranded in Spira. I still didn't understand by what the child had said by I was a dream. Was it some sort of tricky metaphor?

"Yes. A war between Zanarkand and Bevelle. Bevelle's machina assured their winning from the start and Spira had never seen such power. The Summoners of Zanarkand didn't stand a chance, despite the strange rumours of a machina so deadly it would kill them all being in the possession of some very dangerous people. Zanarkand was doomed to oblivion."

The kid's tone of voice switched from one of historical to one of hopeless desire and want.

"That's why we tried to save it! If only in a memory..."

I was suddenly entranced by this story and drew closer to the child, watching him carefully.

"What did you do?" I asked softly, part of me wishing all the time I hadn't pried and just shut my big mouth.

"The remaining Summoners and the townspeople who survived the war, all became Fayth. Fayth for the Summoning."

"The Summoning?" I thought it over a moment, before gazing at the child confusedly. "You mean Sin?"

"No," the child smiled at me. "This place. What did you call it?" his smile was small and pitying, like he felt sorry for me. "A Zanarkand that never sleeps. The dreams of the Fayth Summoned the memories of the city. They Summoned all the buildings, all the people that lived there." I frowned, as suddenly the fog began to clear and what the child was implying was no longer so difficult to understand.

"Th-The people? The... people are all dreams?" I murmured. The child nodded, tilting its head so I imagined he was looking up at me. I pointed to myself, my heart hammering. "Me... too?"

The Fayth Bahamut nodded his head and my heart sunk to the ground, along with all my emotions and memories.

I... was a dream. People dream dreams on days when they feel lonely, or saddened, and wish for something more, something better to come and whisk them away. Was that what I had done? Yuna had been sad, lonely, the people of Spira in utter turmoil, and her Guardian's lost all on their own in that one gigantic spiral of death. Was I intended to be the dream that guarded the Guardians on their way to assure Yuna's safety from the inevitable danger that she faced on that trek?

Was I meant to fall so drastically in love with her? Or was that just Fate toying with me and making me suffer because it knew I could never have her?

I could never have Yuna, because I am a dream of the Fayth. I'm not... real. I could barely understand it. You ever tried it? Just standing there, trying to get your head around your existence? For me, it was the opposite. I was trying to recall even a little how it might feel not to exist but my head was filled with action packed memories. Fake memories, implanted in my head – made up, to force my made-up life to be all the more exciting and dream-like. Dream-like.

Because I am a dream.

"Yes. You're a dream of the Fayth. You, your father, your mother, everyone. All dreams..." he turned to me a moment, and I thought I saw a shimmer of light through the darkness his hood disguised, like unshed tears gleaming in a child's eyes. "And if the Fayth stop dreaming..."

I looked around and suddenly, I felt like everything around me was melting away. My boat, the stadium, the apartment block, the slums, the water, the neon lights, the clubs, my penthouse, the middle class offices, the hovers everything.

"No!" I screamed, and it reappeared, as fabricated and fake as ever. "No! So... so what if I'm a dream? I like being here!" I yelled at the child. He tilted his head to one side and sighed deeply, suddenly sounding weary and restless.

"But... we've been dreaming so long... We're so tired... Would you...? Would you, and your father, would you let us rest? Both you and your father have been touched by Sin. Sin, the very one who Spira, the spiral, revolves."

"What are you saying?" I demanded, confused and hurt, that after telling me my entire existence had been a lie, this child had just asked me to finish us all off.

"You and your father are more than just dreams now..." the kid began to talk, but I snapped around as I heard Yuna's familiar soft lulls.

"Wake up!" she begged. "Wake up please!"

"Maybe just a little more," the Fayth spoke softly. "And then you will be the dream that will end our dreaming at last..." I shook my head violently and spun round to face the Fayth Bahamut, looking up at me. The Fayth child's smile was small, defenceless and innocent. Zanarkand began to glow all around me, and the lights merged into one another. I felt like the world was falling away from beneath my feet. I sighed, and allowed myself to be torn from my false world of dreams made of nothingness, towards the spiral of death, where the girl I loved was waiting.

Waiting to be lied to some more.

* * *

I leapt up, the biting, frigid weather of Mount Gagazet attacking my flesh. Yuna leapt on me in as big a hug as someone so small could muster, holding on tight.

"Oh, thank goodness!" she breathed. Rikku jumped up onto my back, the cousins clinging fiercely from either side onto my body.

"Aw man!" Rikku moaned into my ear. "We were so worried about you, Tidus!" Rikku jumped off me, and Lulu walked over, pressing her hand to my forehead, her stunning beauty hitting me full on as she batted her lashes nervously and narrowed her bloody red eyes.

"You okay?" she asked concernedly, running her hand down the side of my face once she had concluded that I didn't have a fever at least.

"I-" I stopped myself from speaking, already feeling like a big fat liar. I felt like I was taking advantage of these wonderful people's loving generosity and kindness. I forced down the feelings of hatred for myself and bit back confessions to finish my sentence. "I'm fine."

"What happened?" Yuna asked, taking hold of my hand tightly and squeezing. I smiled gratefully down at her and shrugged.

"Nothing... I just blacked out. I was..." I frowned at the sheer irony of the sentence I was about to speak, and internally thwacked myself with a very large stick. "Dreaming. You called me and... I woke up. Nothing like a good nap!" I stretched for emphasis, but I knew nobody was buying my lies. Damn my friends and heir super sensitive attention to detail. We could all tell if somebody was lying by now or whether they weren't, which at times proved useful and others, utterly aggravating. I laughed nervously and shrugged.

"Well, I'm ready. Let's go!" I suggested, letting go of Yuna's hand and jogging up the steep hill. I couldn't touch her right now- it was making me feel like I was using her until I got what I wanted and could just drop her ready to set the Fayth free. If I did that, what would happen to me? Would I fade away, like Zanarkand had? Before I knew it, we were inside a cave of Mount Gagazet, running around and finding treasure, all the while looking out for dangerous fiends lurking in the shadows, my mind attacking me with taunts and jeers and hurtful sneers and comments. This was hard. Before long, Auron was speaking quietly, almost to himself, but we knew he was directing the knowledge of his last pilgrimage here onto us.

"They will soon be upon us. She has sent fiends to test our Summoner," he said.

"Who is she?" Yuna asked curiously, gazing at Auron in wonder. He eyed her with his good eye and frowned, deeper than usual.

"Yunalesca." Yuna's eyes widened, and she ran from my side to Auron's, watching him incredulously.

"Lady Yunalesca?" she asked, bewildered. He nodded his head and spoke again, his voice echoing throughout the dark, dank caverns of Mount Gagazet, water dripping dangerously from leaky crevices above our heads, a fiend purring a little way away.

"In Zanarkand, she awaits the strongest." Yuna frowned and I smiled slightly as I saw her thought patterns in her transparent green and blue eyes. She sure was easy to read. I shook these thoughts off, immediately feeling guilty. I wanted to tell her I was a dream, and to stop wasting her time – but I couldn't find the right words. I mean, I've never had to confess to the only girl I've ever loved that I was a sham, a fake.

"So... she is still alive?" Yuna murmured, gazing at Auron in wonder. He smirked and her, and petted her hair slightly, making it even untidier than it already was.

"As much as Mika and Seymour," he explained, and Lulu sighed stepping closer to Wakka, shivering slightly. Yuna nodded and looked away from Auron.

"I see..."

Rikku wasn't paying attention to what was going on, I noticed. She was standing a little ways away, hands on hips, pacing, her brows furrowed and forehead lined deeply as she pouted and tried to come up with some sort of answer to the ever looming question that enjoyed tormenting us so. She glanced up when she felt my gaze on her neck, and smiled weakly, the glimmer in her eyes dim and dismal, her shoulders slumped and defeated. She shook her head. I frowned and gave her an imploring look with my eyes. She went back to pacing. Auron was speaking again, tilting his head a little and watching Yuna over dark tinted glasses.

"Lost your nerve?" he questioned his voice gruff and curious.

"No!" Yuna said surely, glancing in my direction. I smiled weakly and she beamed in response, her very presence seeming to light up the entire cave we stood in. She turned back to Auron, and gave him a little smile. "Nothing scares me now." Auron nodded and petted her head again.

"Braska would be proud," he mused, gazing at her with a hint of affection in his stony cold eyes. She grinned happily at him and nodded her head surely.

"Then," she answered, walking to my side and lacing her fingers with mine. "I must not let him down." I nodded my head and tried to make an assuring sound, but Yuna saw the troubled look in my eyes. I suddenly felt like it was just the two of us, standing there on our own and my mind began to race at the silence of it all.

I could hear everything – her breathing, her tiny movements – I was aware of her presence entirely.

And then I realised I could only hear one heartbeat.

I dropped her hand and smiled falsely, causing Yuna to raise her brows and begin to ask me something.

"We have to be going. Staying still too long could prove troublesome," Lulu said wisely, smiling at the two of us like a proud mother, taking Wakka by the arm and leading him away. He winked at us jokingly, and Kimahri bared his teeth in a Ronso grin. Rikku sighed haughtily and followed Auron from the cave, badgering him with questions about all sorts of things. I left, Yuna trailing quietly along behind me. We got the mouth of the cave, and entered out into a warm sunset, the breeze cool against my exhausted form and the whole group let out a sigh of relief. Wandering around dark caverns is not as fun as it sounds, lemme tell you. We were about to begin walking again, when Auron stood up straight and pulled his sword from his back.

"It comes!" he announced.

The fiend was huge. It was dark blue in colour and had horns sticking out of almost every alcove on its body. We leapt into battle stance, ready for the first of Yunalesca's challenges.

I cast Hasteaga on the group as per usual, and they sped up fantastically. Yuna then cast Reflect upon the fiend, causing any magic it launched on us to be repelled right back. Auron ran forth and used Armour Break to shock it first. It then launched an attack on us, which didn't physically wound us, but succeeded in casting Silence and Curse on us. Yuna collapsed in pain as the Curse inflicted pain from the inside out, and I threw her a Remedy. She drank to down fast, before casting Esuna on Auron and then herself, casting it finally on me to relieve us of our ailments. Auron then ran forth and used Mental Break on the fiend, dealing serious damage to it as is mind was sent reeling and spinning with the force of Auron's attack. Yuna cast Protect on me quickly and I saw a magical shield materialize before me, before dissipating away into nothingness. I then took the opportunity to use my newest Overdrive, one had been trying to perfect for months. I ran forth, time feeling like it was slowing down around me. It made me wonder – could a dream die?

I slashed at the fiend angrily, shocking and wounding it countless times, before jamming my sword into the ground and jumping atop of it. Lulu threw me Wakka's Blitzball, right up high into the air alongside me, where I turned and kicked it, sending it firing through the air at an astonishing pace, where it hit the fiend and rammed into it full on, winding it. The fiend swept its tail towards us angrily, swiping me but not hurting as the Protect spell did its job. Kimahri shoved Yuna from harm's way, taking her place at the front lines, Auron narrowly missing the spiky edges of the tail. It tried to lunge at him and he dodged successfully, gracing it with no more than a smirk of annoyance. Kimahri smacked the fiend down across the head with the end of his spear, to which the fiend hit him back. Wakka ran to me and high fived, before taking his place where the now injured Kimahri had been, Blitzball heavy and ready for action. He used Armour break too, before Auron ran out of the fiend's line of attack to be replaced with Lulu. Rikku swapped places with Wakka, running up close to the fiend and using a jab from her sharp knuckles and a flick of her quick fingers and wrists to Mug it. She stole two Turbo Ethers, much to her delight. I used another heavy dose of Armour Break on the fiend, and it was too much. The fiend collapsed in a heap, causing the very ground beneath our feet to tremble, before batting it's mighty wings once and dissipating far away into fluttering pyreflies, that whispered to me louder than ever as if to taunt me. Rikku groaned and rubbed her aching calf muscles.

"Hey," she moaned, "can't we rest a little?"

"No need," Auron replied, stepping forth and looking unruffled as usual, dabbing Potion onto a scratch on his cheek. "We reach the summit soon."

"I know. That's why I want to stop for a bit," Rikku insisted, looking tired and worn. Poor kid needed a break – she was only fifteen after all. This nonsense was way more than any normal teenager should have had to deal with. She should have been worrying about who was going to ask her to the dance, and if she was going to get any zits and not being beaten up freshman year. "Soon means... there's not much time left."

"Rikku," Yuna said tiredly, quietly, stepping forwards a little, her hand outstretched to her cousin. Rikku shut her eyes and turned to us, folding her arms and looking annoyed.

"_Fi-ine_! I'll think on the way!" She began to walk away from the group; head bowed, no spring in her step as usual, just a drag-drag-drag of the feet as she tried to walk. The rest of the group followed closely, leaving me standing on my own, Yuna only sparing a troubled glanced back at me before being whisked away by Lulu. Wakka clapped a hand on my shoulder and smiled sympathetically.

"C'mon. Let's go, ya?" he suggested. I sighed.

"We are... almost there, aren't we?" I replied, eyes trained on the ground, not trusting myself to look at my friend for fear he would see the dream that I was lost in my eyes. Wakka shook his head and shrugged.

"We've come a long way," he said. Auron snickered up ahead of us, and temper rose within me. How could he be making snide private jokes at a time like this? The most crucial moments of this pilgrimage yet, and he was sneering at me.

"What's so funny?" I asked disbelievingly.

"You remind me of myself. The closer we came to Zanarkand, the more I wondered. Braska will call the Final Aeon, he will fight Sin, and then he will die. I thought my mind was made up long before. But when I stood here, my resolve wavered..." Auron trailed off, gazing at the bloody red sky.

A thought suddenly struck me. How ironic it was, that as we reached the end of our journey, the sky was the bloodiest hue of red I had seen my entire visit to Spira? The pilgrimage was coming to an end. Night was dawning. Wakka was speaking, eyes wide and focused on Auron.

"Huh, never would've figured! Legendary guardians choke sometimes too, ya!" he said bemusedly. Auron turned to him, that smirk on his face again. He made an amused snort before turning away from us and proceeding to follow the girls and Kimahri up the slope towards the summit of Mount Gagazet.

"Legendary guardian?" I heard him say snidely as he walked. "I was just a boy. A boy about your age, actually. I wanted to change the world, too. But I changed nothing. ...That is my story."

I followed Auron, Wakka not far from my side, and emerged out over the top of the slope to see an ancient, beautiful, crumbling city bathed in the magical glow of the orange sunset. It looked ancient and powerful- more majestic that the sunken ruins of the Moonflow even. I gasped and held my breath, gazing at it, completely transfixed by what I saw. A city dead for a thousand years. A city I had to see with my own eyes. Yuna stood beside me, her mouth slightly open as she was captured by the sheer beauty Zanarkand held, her eyes filled with determination and pride. I knew she wouldn't fail – this was the end of Yuna's journey. The last chapter of my story. No... Our story.

My thoughts... they kept floating up and then slipping through my fingers. Slipping away, before I could pin them down with words. Frustration crept up my throat and I glanced at Yuna again. She was taking a deep breath and twiddling with the ring on her little finger.

"Yuna! I say no!" Rikku said earnestly from behind us. We both turned to see her standing with her hands clenched at her sides, her eyes filled with tears as she struggled to come up with a method of saving her beloved cousin. "If we go down there, then you'll..."

Yuna stepped forth, her eyes sincere, her voice soft as she smiled as strongly as she could at her cousin.

"Rikku," she said. "You are a true friend. And I thank you, but... I must go... down to Zanarkand." Rikku shook her head, fighting back the tears again, sounding more sure and assertive than before.

"I'm not saying we shouldn't go! But... shouldn't we think about it some more? There's gotta be some kind of way we can save you, Yuna!" she said, her voice shaking and her hands trembling as she stood. Yuna shook her head.

"All my life, I knew this moment would come," she said surely, sounding like she had completely accepted her fate.

"Yunie!" Rikku whined, her voice high and distressed as Yuna accepted her own death before it had even happened. It made my heart hurt to see her so set on her goal, despite the implications she was positive would happen to her, and it made me respect her even more than I already did. Something fell from Yuna's dress as she moved towards Rikku, to hug her cousin in a tight embrace.

"Thank you, Rikku," she murmured as Rikku held her tightly back. "Thank you." Rikku's tears finally escaped and she laid her head on Yuna's shoulder, holding tighter. I saw her sharp knuckledusters encasing tiny delicate fingers as she clamped onto Yuna's kimono.

"Don't say that, Yunie..." she whimpered. "This isn't over." Yuna shook her head, as Rikku raised her own, and Yuna smiled softly.

"Tell Cid 'thank you'," she asked Rikku quietly, and of course, the little Al Bhed shook her head vehemently, her bottom lip jutting out.

"No. You can tell him yourself," she said. I saw tears dance in Yuna's eyes and she took hold of either side of Rikku's arms as she spoke.

"'Ku_, please_... Kimahri! Let's go," she added, and moved away from Rikku who trailed along behind her, the rest of the party keeping in a close lock around Yuna in what I knew they all believed to be her final days on this place. I sighed and began to trail my feet up the slope with them, when a glimmer caught my eye.

The thing that had fallen from Yuna's dress when she had rushed to Rikku's side was a sphere. I frowned, picking it up and examining it carefully. I clicked the little button on the front, and held it up in front of my face.

The picturesque inn with stunning blood red sunset of the end of the Mi'ihen Highroad greeted me, the sun twinkling off the ocean, the grass dancing lazily in the cool twilight breeze. And Yuna began to speak.

"_Sir Auron;_ _Kimahri told me... when my father wanted me taken from Bevelle to Besaid... It was you who told Kimahri, right? I had always wanted to meet you someday. I am truly glad that I had that chance. Having you as a Guardian was so great an honour and I don't know how to thank you. Perhaps if I defeat Sin, that will be my thanks to you. That's what I'll do. Yes. I will challenge Sin. I will defeat Sin. If you are all there watching this, then I guess Sin is already gone. And so am I, I suppose... Anyway, I just wanted to say: Sir Auron, I thank you. _

_Kimahri... Do you remember the first day we met? I was only seven. My father had defeated Sin, and all Bevelle was celebrating. Everyone was saying what a hero my father was. I was so happy. But when night came, it occurred to me. My father had defeated Sin and now he was dead. Now, I was all alone. I couldn't sleep, so I wandered into the town, away from the celebrating crowds. I stood on the bridge in Bevelle where my father and I had parted. Standing there, alone, I could see the fields where he had fought Sin. Then, you appeared, Kimahri. You said you were looking for the daughter of Braska, remember? At first, I was so scared. Until I realized what a gentle person you are! You weren't used to talking to children. When I told you that I was Braska's daughter... you said you would take me as far from Bevelle as you could. That it was the wish of a man facing death. I think... I cried then. Because that... that was when I knew my father was dead... and I would never see him again. You just held me, without saying a word. I cried after we got to Besaid, too. When you tried to go after leaving me in the care of the temple... I held onto you, crying, "Don't go, don't go!" And you listened, Kimahri. You stayed. Kimahri, thank you. Thank you so much. And... I've_ always_ liked your broken horn. _

_Wakka, Lulu; I'll never forget my days spent with you, growing up in Besaid. We always played together, us and Chappu. That's why I was always so happy, I think. And when you refused to let me become a Summoner and I did it anyway... I'm sorry. I've always wanted to apologize. You know, when you tried to stop me then-really, I was happy. I could tell you really cared about me. You were like my big brother and sister. No... I think you really _were_ my big brother and sister. What else... I love watching you play Blitzball, Wakka! I even love it when you scold me, Lulu! Really! _

_I guess that leaves... the newest Guardian. Star player of the Zanarkand Abes! You are... I am... Well, um... I'm glad... I'm glad that we met. We haven't even known each other that long, but... it's funny. So... so this is what it feels like? It's a much more wonderful feeling than anything I had ever imagined. Wonderful... but it hurts, sometimes. I wonder... I...I just want to say, thank you for everything. Maybe... maybe that's why it hurts. When I... when I think about us never being together again at all... I'm afraid. No, I shouldn't say that. I'll... do that part over. Um..."_

"_Hey, what you up to?" _

My heart sank as I heard my own voice interrupting Yuna making her sphere, and cursed myself at my ridiculous tendency to always screw up the most important moments. Did that sphere mean... Yuna was already in love with me way back then? How long had she known? How long had she felt that way? And all that time I was just being a stupid idiot, staring at other girls and saying tactless things! I kicked at a stone roughly and cursed.

This sucked! I'm some stupid dream of the Fayth, Yuna had truly loved me since the very start of her pilgrimage and she was going to die if I didn't get my lazy ass in gear and start coming up with a way to save her!

I followed the rest of the group then, down through the narrow twists and turns of the road leading down from the mountain and into Zanarkand. It made me upset to see all the buildings I had once known torn to shreds, standing tall and bathed in an orange glow, crumbling and ancient as Spira itself. The Guardians and Yuna had set up a small camp to rest after the trek up Gagazet, around a small camp fire on a ledge overlooking the ruins of Zanarkand beyond.

We placed our weapons in a secure place on the ground and I stood to look out at the ruins on my own. The sun was slowly sinking, fading away from view. I felt a presence at my side, and didn't need to turn around to know it was Yuna, more worried about me than herself as per usual. I smiled bitterly at that, wondering if I really could do anything to help her, or whether she was just going to die like everyone kept claiming she was.

"I'm not going to ask if you're alright, because I know there's something bothering you. Is it the pilgrimage is almost over?" she asked softly, the breeze carrying her gentle words to my ears like music. I stepped back and took her hand tightly in my own, not looking away from the ruins.

"Not so much. I've kind of accepted that this..." I neglected to mention that if I did the Fayth's bidding I would probably disappear, "is going to be over soon. Rikku might go back to her pops and help rebuild Home. Kimahri might go and round up some of the Ronso in other places in Spira. Wakka and Lulu are going to get married and maybe have kids back in Besaid. Auron'll... probably disappear again," I added and Yuna laughed a little. I turned to her then, eyes burning as I focused all my energy on telling her what my heart begged to be conveyed.

"But I am not going to let you die here. Hell, even if it means killing myself, you are going back to Besaid whether you like it or not. I will make you a happy person! Rikku's right, Yuna, there has to be another way-!"

"Tidus," she stopped me with her lily white hand, pressing her palm against my mouth the scent of her sending my train of thought reeling. "You're making me _un_happy. You say you want to make me a happy person. Tidus, I _am_ happy!" she smiled truthfully, her eyes sparkling. She removed her palm from my lips and gazed up at me, fire in her eyes and I fell in love with her all over again. "Being here with my Guardians, having you all right behind me, being here with you and only you... that all makes me very happy! But... when you and Rikku fret and strain with this thought of rescuing me from something I've already accepted, and causing yourselves harm by making yourselves upset – that makes me more unhappy than the fact I have to leave this all behind. Please," she implored, setting her hand on my shoulder and gazing at me intently with all her might. "Please just accept it as I have. Please make my last few days _happy_."

Without a word, I tilted my head down and pressed a kiss to her lips. My own were dry and cracked from the dramatic weather we had been facing for the past while, but as usual, Yuna's were as soft as rose petals and as red too. I wound my hands around to her back and pulled her close against me, savouring every curve her body made, how she fit perfectly into my side as though we were jigsaw pieces made for each other. I kissed her deeply and her cheeks flushed as her hair danced around her face. I pulled away and hugged her tightly, her head settled snugly into the crook of my neck, her arms still wrapped around my middle. She didn't hear my silent promise that echoed through my head.

She would be happy. And she would survive.

And if me trying to fight for her made her unhappy?

Then she was going to have to cope with it until this pilgrimage was ended and the dream had faded.

Listen to my story.

This may be our last chance.

* * *

**A/N: It's been one whole year since I began this story! Anyone else freaked out? When I started this, I was thirteen and now I'm fourteen - I think my writing has improved... or maybe stayed the same? Anyways, I don't think it's gotten worse... but let me know your thoughts, please! As always, your comments are greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading! **


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